Hooper lights up Kensington as Windies beat S/Lanka off last ball

Nov 29, 2009 Sports

Elegant former Guyana and West Indies Captain Carl Hooper celebrates his 43rd birthday on the 15th of next month and on Friday night, under lights at the famous Kensington Oval he had hundreds of his adoring Bajans fans eating out of his hands as he helped the West Indies beat Sri Lanka by a run in a thrilling opening match of the inaugural CLOBI Masters 20/20 cricket tournament.
Hooper, who played 102 Tests and 227 ODIs; averaging just over 35 in both forms of the game, got excellent support from former West Indies Keeper Courtney Browne who was unbeaten on 44 as the host reached 147-6 off their allotted 20 overs.
Sri Lanka were in the contest until the final over before being bowled out off the final ball for 146 as Marvin Atapatu (44), Indika De Saram (42*), Romesh Kaluwitharana (21) and Arjuna Ranatunga (10) reached double figures for Asian Island nation.
Former Test pacer Curtly Ambrose took 3-21 while off-spinners Nehemiah Perry 2-21 and Hooper 2-37 did the damage with the ball for the West Indies who face England in their next match tomorrow night.
Sri Lanka won the toss and asked West Indies, led by former Captain and world rated batsman Vivian ‘Master Blaster’ Richards, to bat on a good track and fast outfield.
After five overs, West Indies were 12-1 with Gordon Greenidge on eight and Carl Hooper, four after Stuart Williams fell without scoring.
After Gordon Greenidge (8) and Viv Richards (8) departed, the stylish Hooper, who timed the ball with consummate ease and former West Indies ‘big hitter’ Collis King entertaining the crowd with delightful shots. Hooper’s 42 lasted 40 balls and was decorated with 6 fours. This was Hooper’s 1st 20/20 match in West Indies Colours at any level although he has played 10 T/20 games for English county side Lancashire.
By 10 overs the West Indies were 42-3 before King (21) departed while Hooper, who seemed hardly troubled by the bowlers, was run out and by 15 overs the West Indies had slipped to 81-5 before Browne stepped up the tempo with positive stroke-play.
Browne, the England-born Barbadian Keeper, made 44 from just 17 balls with an array of pugnacious shots and added 62 in 4.1 overs in an unfinished seventh wicket stand with fellow Bajan Vasbert Drakes who finished 18 not out. Kumara Dharmasena was the leading wicket-taker with 2-34 off four overs.
When Sri Lanka replied, Ambrose, bowling gun-barrel straight bowled Athula Samarasekera (six) and Romesh Kaluwitharana (21) as he shared the new ball with his old partner Courtney Walsh to leave the score on 28-2.
Marvin Atapatu rolled back the years with some sweetly timed shots and at the half-way stage of their innings, Sri Lanka were 67-3 after captain Arjuna Ranatunga was bowled by Perry for 10.
With 39 required off the last 5 overs with 5 wickets in hand, the hosts were under some pressure but Hooper and Perry combined with the ball to see their team to victory.

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Hooper lights up Kensington as Windies beat S/Lanka off last ball

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