It cost the former world champions two crucial points and left them needing to win their remaining Group B games against Sri Lanka and Kenya to stay in the tournament.

But Hooper sees it differently, insisting the team will be better off in the long run by playing such a big match.

``Of course we could have done with the points against Bangladesh but for some reason I'm happy we're in this situation,'' he told a news conference yesterday.

``For West Indies cricket to go forward, we've got to start winning crunch games and I never wanted an easy way through.

``I wanted a situation where we must win games to get through because if you're not tested now you'll be tested in the next round.''

With West Indies expected to easily win their final pool game against Kenya next week, their hopes of making the next stage will almost certainly be determined by Friday's match against Sri Lanka at Newlands.

It is a crucial game for both teams following Sri Lanka's shock loss to Kenya last week, and Hooper believes it will show whether West Indies have what it takes to win the World Cup.

``If we lose tomorrow's game we can basically pack up and go home so it is a must-win situation and I'm glad we're in it,'' he said.

``If we're going to go all the way you get into a semi-final where you must win and in the final you must win. If I want questions to be answered then I would prefer them to be answered now.

After upsetting South Africa in the opening match of the tournament, also at Newlands, West Indies have struggled to repeat that level of performance, losing to New Zealand and beating Canada after the Bangladesh match was abandoned because of rain.

TECHNICAL PROBLEMS
There have been technical problems with batting, bowling and fielding and Hooper even admitted he was worried about his players' mental approach.

``I expect us to respond well,'' Hooper said. ``If there's one area that we've developed it is when it comes to big games we respond better than in the past.

``I can just sense from reading the vibes from practice that we are going to play well so I feel confident about tomorrow.

``There's been a few warning signs and we've seen in the Kenya-Sri Lanka game what came happen if you don't turn up ready to play proper cricket from ball one.