The 32-year-old right-hander immediately brightened a gloomy Hagley Oval by striding to the crease sporting iridescent sunglasses under his helmet.
The entrance generated mirth in the media box, sparking memories of the perpetually shaded Chris Gayle and his Caribbean swagger.
The laughs petered out when Hope started receiving regular eye drops in response to an infection picked up yesterday.
The measure of his toil started to dawn. Hope sprang eternal, or at least for 107 deliveries, against the Black Caps’ barrage.
The gutsy showing ended when Jacob Duffy persuaded a ball to kiss his glove down the leg side. Hope’s disappointment – and passion – could be gauged by a traipse to the pavilion that rivalled the Channel Nine duck of yesteryear.
He came to the crease with the scoreboard in a parlous state at 10-2 in the 11th over after John Campbell and Alick Athanaze offered scant resistance.
The right-hander, in combination with the left-handed Tagenarine Chanderpaul, put on 90 runs from 201 balls of patient concentration for the most part.
He backed up from 103 off 214 balls against India at Delhi in October.
Hope’s test average of 25.37, heading into his 44th cap, belied a robust technique as his opponents tried to break through.
He looked vulnerable tucked up against short-of-a-length queries, but demonstrated aplomb driving off the front foot. The No 4 was watchful, playing late under his eyes.
Hope also answered a wealth of questions from the New Zealand quicks on or outside off stump early. This was not the Ashes’ first test. He was prepared to allow a stockpile of dots to mount in the interests of a pragmatic team cause. The test will subsequently advance to a third day.