DUBLIN – West Indies batsmen John Campbell and Shai Hope shattered the record for the highest partnership for the opening wicket in One-Day Internationals (ODI) with a stand of 365 against Ireland on Sunday.
Campbell made 179 and Hope 170 to help West Indies to 381 for three as Ireland captain William Porterfield’s decision to field first after winning the toss backfired.
Hope was first to his century and Campbell quickly followed with his maiden ODI hundred, before the pair surpassed the previous opening partnership record of 304 set by Pakistan’s Imam-ul-Haq and Fakhar Zaman against Zimbabwe in July last year.
They were both dismissed in the 48th over, with Campbell top-edging Barry McCarthy to mid-off while Hope found a fielder at deep square leg three balls later.
It was the first time both West Indies openers made centuries in the same game and they fell just seven runs short of the record ODI stand, held by compatriots Chris Gayle and Marlon Samuels against Zimbabwe in 2015.
West Indies won the match by 196 runs, dismissing Ireland for 185. (Reuters)
Summarised scores:
West Indies 381-3 in 50 overs (John Campbell 179, Shai Hope 170). Ireland 185 in 34.4 overs (Kevin O’Brien 68, G. Wilson 30, A. Balbirnie 29, W. Porterfield 12, M. Adair 10, T. Murtagh 10; A. Nurse 4-51, S. Gabriel 3-44, K. Roach 2-28). West Indies won by 196 runs.
