In-form Shai Hope slams his fourth Test hundred: Key stats
What's the story
Extending his sensational run in red-ball cricket, Shai Hope has raced to his fourth Test hundred. The middle-order batter achieved this feat on Day 4 of the ongoing opening Test match against New Zealand in Christchurch. He reached the milestone in just 139 balls, helping his team recover from early blows in their second innings. Notably, he has now scored hundreds in back-to-back Tests.
Knock
A knock of character from Hope
Chasing a massive target of 531 runs, WI lost three wickets for just 55 runs. However, Hope and Justin Greaves steadied the ship with a solid partnership of over 140 runs. The duo worked together to stabilize the innings, with Hope being the more aggressive one during this phase. He hit some boundaries off loose deliveries and played confidently throughout his innings.
Stats
Third successive score of 50 or more
Hope scored a fighting 103 in the third innings of his preceding Test outing - the Delhi Test against India in October. He further made a 107-ball 56 in the first innings of the ongoing game. Hence, this was his third successive score of 50 or more. Notably, his last Test hundred before the Delhi game came against England back in 2017.
Career
Here are his Test numbers
Hope, who made his Test debut in 2015, has gone past 2,100 runs at an average of 27-plus in 44 games. He has hit four centuries and six fifties with a best score of 147. Against New Zealand, Hope has scored over 200 runs in three Tests at an average of over 46.