Stabroek News
May 11, 2001

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, CANA - Losing West Indies captain Carl Hooper has lauded the South Africa for their disciplined and professional approach and wants his regional outfit to emulate their opponents.

Shortly after South Africa clinched the Cable and Wireless One-Day International seven-match cricket series with a comfortable seven-wicket victory in the fifth encounter at Kensington Oval Wednesday, Hooper said the Windies face a "painful process".

"Certainly, from the games which we played against South Africa, we can gauge exactly where we are and where we want to go," Hooper said.

"They are a brilliant fielding side, good discipline with the bowling, good discipline with the batting. These are things which we can learn," Hooper remarked.

"It's been a tough series and I think we tried our best and that's all I can ask from the lads," added Hooper.

"We are obviously disappointed but such is life. We move on, we've got to hold our heads up high, keep working hard and we'll come through," Hooper said.

"It is the same thing I've been saying from since the first game, no need to feel embarrassed whenever we lose to a team like South Africa.

"They are disciplined. They are a professional bunch and we need to play good cricket for a hundred overs to beat them. It is as simple as that," Hooper noted.

"We got to learn from our mistakes and it is going to be a slow, long and painful process," added Hooper.

Noting that the players are giving 100 per cent, Hooper said the West Indies' performance was not as "embarrassing" as in the first of the back-to-back games in Grenada last Saturday.

"Brian (Lara) showed a lot of fight out there. The point, I think when you look at people like (Marlon) Samuels even being called upon to bowl in the first ten overs and bowling 10 for 35 taking one (wicket).

"We've got a lot of young players with a lot of heart. They're still fighting and they're trying, it is just that we were completely outplayed by a better side," Hooper observed.

Hooper defended his decision not to bowl seamer Kerry Jeremy in the innings.

"It was just the way that the game planned out...as it turned out, I thought the opportunity would never present itself to bowl Jeremy. The wicket was turning a little bit and as a result, I thought (I would) continue with spin," Hooper said.