GROS ISLET, St Lucia (CMC) — Test outcast Shai Hope pressed his case for a recall with an attacking half-century while Jermaine Blackwood struck a typically breezy fifty, but bowlers dominated as 14 wickets tumbled on the opening day of the four-day practice match here yesterday.

Opting to bat first after winning the toss, Blackwood XI was dismissed for 264 nearly an hour after tea at the Daren Sammy National Stadium, with Blackwood top-scoring with 85 and Hope hitting 79.

Kavem Hodge chipped in with 37 but the only other batsman to reach double figures was opener, John Campbell, with 20.

Notably, experienced left-hander Darren Bravo perished cheaply for seven while the in-form Kyle Mayers fell for a first-ball “duck”.

Off-spinning all-rounder Roston Chase, also fighting to regain his place in the Test squad, snatched four for 44 while Chemar Holder claimed three for 44 and left-arm spinner Jomel Warrican, two for 35.

Read more at the Jamaica Observer

Good to see Hope making runs, but would they select him to be the other opening batsman? Although Campbell is inconsistent I think why the selectors keep on selecting him is because he is one of the players that looks like he is improving although his scores do not show it. He started at a very low place.

In reply to dayne

Yes, on one hand you have Campbell, a player that "might" be improving and on the other a future ODI great

Hope is a better gamble any day of the week

In reply to conman

Would you select an ODI batsman over a Test Opener? Considering that the ODI batsman has made tremendous improvement but previously failed as a test opener, averaging 17.0 at that time as a test opener?

In reply to Slipfeeler

Hopes avg as an opener is 14.33.

In reply to Larr Pullo

I stand corrected

In reply to Slipfeeler

The issue we're running into is that all of our "good" options are based on potential. No opener is knocking down the door. Hope has a track record of scoring runs as an opener, and yes it is a different format with different strategies, but his ability to face a new ball barrage is there. He opened during the early days of his international career over 5 years ago, a lot can change in that time.

In reply to conman

I'll take that bet.

It's just for Bonner and Chase to get

some big runs in the second inning ...

and the team is SET.