The Hindu : West Indies making rapid strides under Hooper

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Jun 21, 2002

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Sport - Cricket

West Indies making rapid strides under Hooper

Watching the Brazilian football team, inspired by the two Rs — Ronaldo and Rivaldo, dazzling in the ongoing World Cup, got me really excited. The amount of joy the Latin American side provided to the viewers, through an extraordinary amalgam of athleticism and skill, was enormous.

Seeing the Brazilians win the hearts of the spectators with a flowing, attacking brand of football, my thoughts went back to the West Indies cricket teams of yore. They too played the game with the spirit of the adventurers, they too were entertainers.

Even as I grew up in Chennai, the West Indian cricket side with its explosive batsmen and awesome fast bowlers caught my imagination. Cricketers like Clive Lloyd, Vivian Richards, Gordon Greenidge, Michael Holding, Andy Roberts and later on Malcolm Marshall, were, apart from being destructive cricketers, fine ambassadors of the game as well.

They won matches, but did so in a manner that won them several friends. This is exactly why it pained me to see West Indian cricket go through such a wretched phase. The side was losing and, worse, appeared bereft of character. Where had that famous West Indian pride gone?

It is crucial for the game that the state of West Indies cricket is in good health. If cricket dies in the Caribbean, then there would be a gaping hole in the cricketing world.

However, in recent times, the West Indians, under the able leadership of Carl Hooper, appear to be turning the corner. The Caribbeans scored a creditable win over India in the Test series, and then overcame the Kiwis in a close one-day series.

More than the victories themselves, the coming good of the youngsters is a healthy sign. But due credit should go to Hooper. For someone who bid adieu to international cricket due to lack of motivation, he has performed remarkably well on his return.

He appears to be relishing the responsibilities that come with captaincy, and averages close to 50 in Tests with the bat as captain. Importantly, he seems to be getting the best out of younger cricketers like Chris Gayle, Wavell Hinds and Ramnaresh Sarwan, making them believe in their own ability.

Even with players who have been around for a while, Hooper's methods seem to have done the trick. Chanderpaul's career was rocked by injuries, and there were grave doubts about the continuation of his career at the international level. However, in the home series, he came across as a rejuvenated cricketer. I am sure Hooper, who like Chanderpaul hails from Guyana, has been a positive influence.

Similarly, Mervyn Dillon had looked a bowler who lacked self- confidence. He has appeared a very different fast bowler this season, blossoming into a strike bowler. Hooper has handled Dillon well.

Hooper is extremely cool on the field, and his calming influence has done much to ease the tensions in the West Indian camp. And his stature as a batsman of exceptional grace, elegance and timing is such that he will command respect from even a superstar such as Brian Lara.

As the ODI series against New Zealand showed, the West Indians are beginning to win close matches again. This is an extremely positive sign for cricket in the Caribbean. Previously, when a game got close, the West Indians would invariably go down. Now, they are winning them. Under Carl Hooper. The man who has made a difference.

www.krishsrikkanth.com

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