By Orin Davidson
With the West Indies Cricket Board stumbling from one predicament to another former West Indies captain Carl Hooper feels the time has come for Clive Lloyd to play a more prominent role in the administration of the regional game.
According to Hooper, Lloyd, who as captain, presided over the transformation of the team from an ordinary side to the best in the world for 15 years, is ideally equipped to be president of the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB).
“He would not want anything from it. He does everything out of love for the game,” declared Hooper adding that Lloyd has the world of contacts to get things done.
Lloyd and Hilary Beckles are two non-territorial directors on the bloated WICB Board which also includes 12 territorial representatives, excluding the president and vice president.
But the WICB is about to stage the premier regional four-day competition for the second year without sponsorship as was the case with the Under-19 championship.
This follows an unprecedented strike by the Test and One Day International (ODI) players last year in a bitter dispute that was preceded by late payment of wages for a number of prior tours.
All of this occurred at a time when the board’s finances were supposed to be significantly boosted after the region successfully hosted the 2007 World Cup.
Lloyd had previously attempted to run for the WICB presidency but got little support.
These days he spends a lot of his time heading the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) Development Committee.
Hooper, who played 102 Tests that yielded 5762 runs and 114 wickets, and lives in Adelaide, Australia spent Christmas in New York where he disclosed that he will next try his hand at coaching.
The Guyanese revealed that he is the holder of a Level Two coaching certificate and said he will prefer to start in one of the developing cricket countries like the United States of America.
He pointed out that cricket should have a place in the mega American sports industry.
“It would be a shame if we live through this lifetime and not have America involved in international cricket because if you want big crowds and make money, this is where you come,” he disclosed.
Hooper’s batting artistry and striking personality made him one of the more popular West Indian cricketers of his time, but his career ended abruptly after he led the West Indies in the 2003 World Cup competition.
Contrary to the belief of some followers who felt he turned his back on the team, Hooper explained that it was counterproductive for him to remain in the side after he learnt he was no longer needed as captain.
“The board obviously after the World Cup wanted to go in a different direction and we had a few young players just about to hit the straps.
“Marlon Samuels batted fantastically well in India; we had (Ramnaresh) Sarwan beginning to come through; we had Chris (Gayle) beginning to hit the stripes and things were beginning to look a bit better.
“I think it was a choice of continuing to play and deny one of these young guys an opportunity, because if I played in the middle and (Brian) Lara was the captain, then one of them would have to sit down and if we are thinking of rebuilding then you have to give the young players the opportunity,” said the former captain.
He stressed that it was the only fair decision he could’ve made.
“When it came to a decision of whether to play or walk away I think I made the right decision. I was 38 (years), stated Hooper adding that for him to play for two more years, would have meant blocking a player coming through at the age of 24 25.
“I mean that’s selfish, it does not make any sense even though there were calls from various parts of the Caribbean from ex players that my decision was selfish,” he added.
About the current team, Hooper said he was excited at the prospect of emerging fast bowler Kemar Roach teaming up with a fit Fidel Edwards and Jerome Taylor.
He said the batting was okay but that the players were lacking the focus required to bat long enough to be competitive over the 15 sessions required for five day tests.
On the subject of best West Indian batsman Hooper said over the years he has not seen a better batsman than the former West Indies great Vivian Richards, who he feels was super-gifted.
On Lara, the former triple world record holder, and current highest Test run-scorer Sachin Tendulkar, Hooper feels the former was flamboyant and more of a risk- taker compared to Tendulkar who is more circumspect.
He added that they both played for the statistics and know the game inside out.
Hooper rates the 134 he scored against Pakistan at Lahore early in his career against a powerful bowling attack comprising Imran Khan, Wazim Akram, Waqar Younis and Abdul Qadir in difficult conditions in 1990, as his best innings.
