Six years back, Shai Hope and John Campbell really left a footmark in the annals of ODI Cricket. They got 365 runs for the highest-ever opening stand in a 50-over contest against Ireland in Dublin. Hope-Campbell put up big numbers, with Hope scoring a magnificent 170 and Campbell following it up with 179 to register his highest ODI score ever.
This was a tri-series, which also included Bangladesh, and took place in May 2019. They battered the Irish fielders for runs before finally getting out. With this effort, they put the former holders of the record of 304 runs (Pakistan’s Imam-Ul-Haq and Fakhar Zaman) to shame and went on to come just seven runs short of the highest partnership record for any wicket in an ODI.
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They were the second opening pair in ODIs to score 150-plus each, after New Zealand’s Brendon McCullum and James Marshall. They were just a few runs short from seeing off the entire innings, which would have been another record in itself.
Campbell arrived at his 137-ball knock laced with 15 fours and 6 sixes, while Hope took 152 balls for his innings of 22 fours and 2 sixes. The pair combined to lay down a terrific total – 381/3 from West Indies – putting the Irish side under immense pressure.
Ireland were bowled out for 185 runs in 36 overs in reply. West Indies spinner Ashley Nurse took 4/51, while Kemar Roach and Shannon Gabriel shared another five wickets, 2 and 3 respectively. Hope and Campbell were truly the stars of the show. The commentators found it difficult to declare either man the Player of the Match, but Campbell won the award due to his high strike rate in the latter stages of his innings.
