26 April 1999
Hooper Retires
Haydn Gill
CARL HOOPER has announced his sudden retirement from the
international arena.
The 32-year-old Guyanese, for so long one of the game's most
widely discussed, critically analysed and annoyingly enigmatic
cricketers, stunned teammates and thousands around the world
with his decision ahead of the seventh One-Day International at
Kensington Oval yesterday.
"It came as a shock. You heard different things but I never
thought it (retirement) would come at this stage," West Indies
manager Clive Lloyd told the DAILY NATION.
"It is a bit untimely and has caught us on the hop, but he has
made up his mind and we have to live with that.
"He is not an old guy and I am pretty disappointed that he chose
to finish his career so early."
Hooper informed West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) chief executive
officer Stephen Camacho of his decision Saturday night and was
expected to confirm his retirement in writing yesterday.
Reasons unclear
The reasons for his retirement are unclear, but it was evident
during the seven-match limited-overs series against Australia
that his interest seemed to be waning.
It was also felt that the ironic applause he received almost
every time he touched the ball during Saturday's penultimate
match and his failure to regain the vice-captaincy might have
led to the latest of his unpredictable move.
Three years ago, he also pulled out of the West Indies team on
the eve of the World Cup.
His retirement has made it necessary for a replacement to be
named in the 15-man squad that is scheduled to leave the
Caribbean on Sunday for the eighth World Cup in England.
"It was very untimely in the sense that we now have to try and
replace him with someone else," Lloyd said.
"The person would not have enough time to play with the team as
such until he gets to England. That is part and parcel of life
and we just have to get on with the game."
Camacho said the WICB would have to apply to the International
Cricket Council tournament's technical committee to draft a new
player into the squad.
He added that the board would reserve further comment on
Hooper's retirement until official correspondence was received.
Hooper has been considered somewhat of an under-achiever since
his entry into international cricket in 1987.
He has many worshippers around the Caribbean and for years has
had a love-hate relationship with Barbadians, who often hailed
him as "Sir Carl".
A three-dimensional player capable of some of the most elegant
batting, tidy off-spin and brilliant slip catching, his record
at Test level was hardly outstanding.
His 4 153 runs in 80 matches come at a modest average of 33.76
and his 93 wickets were taken at 47.01 runs apiece.
Source :: The Barbados Nation (https://www.nationnews.com/)