Hoops may pack bags after World Cup

CAPE TOWN - West Indies captain Carl Hooper is contemplating retirement from international cricket.

"I will definitely be looking at my future with the team and rethinking my role as captain," Hooper was quoted as saying by the BBC.

"I will sleep on some of the things that are going through my mind and make a decision on my future after that.

"I have to take it each game at a time. It really depends on how I feel in my body and how much more I can contribute to West Indies cricket."

The World Cup has not been kind to Hooper. He managed just 93 runs in five innings with a top score of 45, and sent down 33 over for 166 runs, taking three wickets.

The 36-year-old took over from Jimmy Adams in 2001 with the team at a low ebb following a series of disappointing results, especially away from the Caribbean.

He helped rebuild confidence and has overseen the development of a number of talented young batsmen including Ramnaresh Sarwan, Chris Gayle and Marlon Samuels.

But their six-run defeat by Sri Lanka on Friday means the West Indies are unlikely to make the Super Six phase of the World Cup.

The Guyanese all-rounder quit international cricket following the 1999 World Cup but was persuaded to return after breaking domestic run-scoring records during the 2001 season.

He was hopeful that they would do well in South Africa following a One-Day series win in India late last year.

But opening batsmen Gayle and Wavell Hinds have failed to find their best form, and new ball bowlers Merv Dillon and Pedro Collins have lacked penetration.

Although, mathematically, the West Indies are still in with a chance of qualifying, Hooper does not believe it will happen, even if they win their last group game against Kenya.

"Basically, that's it. We're out. It was close in the end, but a miss is as near as a mile," he said, following the defeat by Sri Lanka.

"I'm extremely disappointed with my team's performance, myself included. I really thought we would have done better in this tournament. We just batted badly when we needed to come good."

West Indies will return to the Caribbean following the tournament for a home Test and One-Day series against Australia in April and May and similar series against Sri Lanka in June.