Carl Hooper

{{Infobox cricketer

| name = Carl Hooper

| image =

| country = West Indies

| fullname = Carl Llewelyn Hooper

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1966|12|15|df=yes}}

| birth_place = Georgetown, Guyana

| batting = Right-handed

| bowling = Right arm off break

| role = All-rounder

| international = true

| internationalspan = 1987–2003

| testdebutdate = 11 December

| testdebutyear = 1987

| testdebutagainst = India

| testcap = 190

| lasttestdate = 3 November

| lasttestyear = 2002

| lasttestagainst = India

| odidebutdate = 18 March

| odidebutyear = 1987

| odidebutagainst = New Zealand

| odicap = 50

| lastodidate = 4 March

| lastodiyear = 2003

| lastodiagainst = Kenya

| odishirt = 4

| club2 = Guyana

| year2 = 1984–2003

| club1 = Demerara

| year1 = 1983–1987

| club3 = Kent

| year3 = 1992–1998

| club4 = Lancashire

| year4 = 2003–2004

| columns = 4

| column1 = Tests

| matches1 = 102

| runs1 = 5,762

| bat avg1 = 36.46

| 100s/50s1 = 13/27

| top score1 = 233

| deliveries1 = 13,794

| wickets1 = 114

| bowl avg1 = 49.42

| fivefor1 = 4

| tenfor1 = 0

| best bowling1 = 5/26

| catches/stumpings1 = 115/–

| column2 = ODI

| matches2 = 227

| runs2 = 5,761

| bat avg2 = 35.34

| 100s/50s2 = 7/29

| top score2 = 113*

| deliveries2 = 9,573

| wickets2 = 193

| bowl avg2 = 36.05

| fivefor2 = 0

| tenfor2 = 0

| best bowling2 = 4/34

| catches/stumpings2 = 120/–

| column3 = FC

| matches3 = 339

| runs3 = 23,034

| bat avg3 = 47.68

| 100s/50s3 = 69/104

| top score3 = 236*

| deliveries3 = 46,464

| wickets3 = 555

| bowl avg3 = 35.30

| fivefor3 = 18

| tenfor3 = 0

| best bowling3 = 7/93

| catches/stumpings3 = 375/–

| column4 = LA

| matches4 = 457

| runs4 = 13,357

| bat avg4 = 40.11

| 100s/50s4 = 15/85

| top score4 = 145

| deliveries4 = 19,718

| wickets4 = 396

| bowl avg4 = 34.37

| fivefor4 = 1

| tenfor4 = 0

| best bowling4 = 5/41

| catches/stumpings4 = 242/–

| date = 29 December

| year = 2008

| source = http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/content/player/52066.html ESPNcricinfo

}}

Carl Llewelyn Hooper (born 15 December 1966) is a former Guyanese cricketer who captained the West Indies in Tests and ODIs. An all-rounder, he was a right-handed batsman and off-spin bowler, who came to prominence in the late 1980s in a side that included such players as Gordon Greenidge, Desmond Haynes, Malcolm Marshall and Courtney Walsh and represented the West Indies over a 16-year international career.

Playing career

=Rise in ranks=

Hooper first represented the West Indies at youth level and eventually became a regular for Guyana in senior regional tournaments. He later captained Guyana to triumphantly claim three regional List A titles in 1996, 1999 and 2002.{{cite web|url=https://www.stabroeknews.com/2007/10/08/sports/can-guyana-regain-regional-one-day-supremacy-ask-sherwin-walker-and-donald-duff/|title=Can Guyana regain regional one-day supremacy? Ask Sherwin Walker and Donald Duff|date=8 October 2007|publisher=Stabroek News|website=stabroeknews.com}}

Hooper went on to make his Test debut against India in 1987, scoring his maiden century in only his second test of that tour. During the West Indies' 1991 tour of England, Hooper notched 111 with 14 fours and a six, at Lord's.{{cite web|url=https://www.lords.org/lords/our-history/honours-boards/c-l-hooper/111|title=C.L. HOOPER 111 V ENGLAND|publisher=Lord's Cricket Ground|website=lords.org}} As well he starred as the overall topscorer with 290 runs, in the 1995 home ODI series against Australia, which the Windies won by a 4-1 margin.{{cite web|url=https://stats.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/records/batting/most_runs_career.html?id=710;type=series|title=RECORDS / AUSTRALIA IN WEST INDIES ODI SERIES, 1994/95 / MOST RUNS|publisher=Cricinfo|website=cricinfo.com}}{{cite web|url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/west-indies-v-australia-1994-95-151131|title=MATCH REPORTS WEST INDIES v AUSTRALIA 1994-95 At Georgetown, March 18|date=15 April 1996|publisher=Cricinfo|website=cricinfo.com}}{{cite web|url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/series/australia-tour-of-west-indies-1994-95-61388/west-indies-vs-australia-5th-odi-64493/full-scorecard|title=RESULT 5th ODI, Georgetown, March 18, 1995, Australia tour of West Indies|publisher=Cricinfo|website=cricinfo.com}} He was later named man of the match, scoring 81 and picking up 5 for 26 in the drawn second test of Sri Lanka's 1997 tour of the Windies, played at the Arnos Vale Stadium in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.{{cite web|url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/series/sri-lanka-tour-of-west-indies-1997-61612/west-indies-vs-sri-lanka-2nd-test-63761/full-scorecard|title=2nd Test, Kingstown, Sri Lanka tour of West Indies|publisher=Cricinfo|website=cricinfo.com}}{{cite web|url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/west-indies-v-sri-lanka-153338|title=MATCH REPORTS WEST INDIES v SRI LANKA|publisher=Cricinfo|website=espncricinfo.com}} As well he was named player of the series for the 1997-98 Singer Akai Champions Trophy, where the Windies were defeated by England in the tournament's final.{{cite web|url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/england-v-west-indies-151435|title=MATCH REPORTS England v West Indies|date=15 April 1999|publisher=Cricinfo|website=espncricinfo.com}}

During 1992 he joined English county cricket side Kent. Hooper went on to win the batting award, as top scorer with 773 runs, of the 1994 AXA Equity & Law League. His highest score for the club, 236 not out, came against Glamorgan at Canterbury. With his best bowling figures for Kent, 7 for 93, coming in 1998 against Surrey at The Oval. He later won the 1998 Walter Lawrence Trophy, which he shared with Ali Brown. Hooper eventually spent six years at the English side and was later described by Jo Harman of Wisden as Kent's greatest overseas player of all time. During 2003 Hooper joined Lancashire. During his first season with that side he became only the second player to have scored a century against all 18 county cricket teams. During that season he also scored over 1,100 runs for Lancashire in the County Cricket Championship.{{cite web |url=http://lccc.co.uk/index.php?p=news&id=36 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100925063644/http://lccc.co.uk/index.php?p=news&id=36 |archive-date=2010-09-25 |title=Into the New Millennium|publisher=Lancashire County Cricket Club}}{{cite web|url=http://static.espncricinfo.com/db/NATIONAL/ENG/SUNLG/SUNLG_TABLE_1994.html|title=1994 AXA Equity & Law League|publisher=Cricinfo|website=cricinfo.com}}{{cite web|url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/walter-lawrence-trophy-260595|title=Walter Lawrence Trophy|date=26 September 2006|publisher=Cricinfo|website=cricinfo.com}}{{cite web |author=Harman, Jo |date=June 6, 2018 |title=County cricket's greatest overseas players: Kent |url=https://www.wisden.com/cricket-features/county-crickets-greatest-overseas-players-kent |website=wisden.com |publisher=Wisden}}

=Playing style=

As a very stylish, elegant and graceful batsman, Hooper was also a potent off spinner and nimble slip fielder. He was usually placed in the slip cordon, taking numerous catches there, for the most part, in his cricketing career.{{cite web |url-access=subscription|url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Records/England/Firstclass/Overall/Centuries_Against_Most_Counties.html |title=Centuries Against Most Counties |work=CricketArchive |access-date=22 April 2019}}{{Cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport3/cwc2003/hi/team_pages/west_indies/player_profiles/default.stm |title=Carl Hooper |date=7 January 2003 |work=BBC Sport |access-date=21 April 2019}}

Ray Illingworth noted that Hooper's "off-spin is underrated"{{cite web|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/illingworth-prefers-to-keep-a-low-profile-1587935.html|title=Illingworth prefers to keep a low profile|author=Hodgson, Derek|date=22 June 1995|publisher=The Independent|website=independent.co.uk}}

In his autobiography, Steve Waugh writes that "quickness of feet and sweet yet brutally efficient stroke play were Hooper's trademarks."{{cite book | last=Waugh | first=Steve | author-link=Steve Waugh | title=Steve Waugh: Out of my comfort zone - the autobiography | year=2005 | publisher=Penguin Group (Australia) | location=Victoria | isbn=0-670-04198-X | page=346}} Wasim Akram has rated Hooper as "one of the top batsmen West Indies produced".{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qW1jKIEbYrA|title=My XI - Wasim Akram: Carl Hooper - 'One of the top batsmen West Indies produced'|date=12 June 2012|publisher=Cricinfo|website=cricinfo.com}} Shane Warne also thought very highly of Hooper's footwork and, in 2008, named him among the top 100 cricketers of his time, citing in particular his ability to disguise his dances down the track. Warne felt that determining when a batsman was going to give the charge was one of the most important things for a spinner, and that Hooper was the best at making it indeterminable. "During the 1995 series," he wrote, "this really nagged away at me, because I couldn't spot any of the usual clues even though I knew there had to be a sign that would give him away. On a number of occasions, I stopped at the point of delivery to see if he was giving anything away with his footwork. Most batsmen would be looking to get out of their ground at that point, whereas Hooper just stayed set. In the end, after watching him closely time after time, I managed to crack it. When he wanted to hit over the top, he just looked at me instead of tapping his crease as usual and looking down. Of course, my knowing what he was going to do did not always stop him from doing it."Warne, Shane. "Shane Warne's Century: Ranatunga looked like he had swallowed a sheep." The Times, 27 September 2008.

Hooper struggled early in his career, averaging just 26.08 in his first 38 Tests. However, following his breakthrough 178 not out against Pakistan in 1993, he went on to average 45.60 over his next 58 matches.

=Later career=

Hooper first announced his retirement three weeks before the 1999 Cricket World Cup but made a surprising comeback in 2001 as West Indies captain. He captained the side in 22 Tests, leading the Windies to a tight victory in the 2001–02 home series against India. He scored 233 not out, his highest innings in Test match cricket, during the first match of that said test series played in Bourda, Guyana. His record as a batsman also improved with the captaincy. As he averaged 45.97 as captain compared to 36.46 in his Test career as a whole.{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/cricket/specials/west_indies_v_india/1926471.stm|title=Hooper doubles up|date=12 April 2002|publisher=BBC|website=bbc.co.uk}}{{cite web|url=http://uk.cricinfo.com/db/ARCHIVE/2001-02/IND_IN_WI/SCORECARDS/IND_WI_T1_11-15APR2002.html |title=1st Test: West Indies v India at Georgetown, Apr 11-15, 2002|work=ESPNcricinfo |access-date=22 July 2013}}{{cite web|url=https://stats.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/player/52066.html?captain=1;class=1;filter=advanced;orderby=default;template=results;type=allround|title=All round records, Test matches|access-date=22 March 2022}} However, other Test results, especially away from home, were less impressive. He also steered the Windies to win the 2001 Zimbabwe Coca-Cola Cup, defeating India in the tournament's final. During 2002, with Hooper at the helm, West Indies won a home ODI series against New Zealand along with an away ODI series against India. He then captained the Windies at the 2003 Cricket World Cup. Although the Caribbean side failed to progress to the tournament's second round, according to Rob Smyth, "Hooper did very little wrong apart from lose the odd toss and fail to control the weather".{{cite web|url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/west-indies-upset-india-in-coca-cola-cup-final-101315|title=West Indies upset India in Coca-Cola Cup final|author=Ward, John|date=7 July 2001|publisher=Cricinfo|website=cricinfo.com}}{{cite web|url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/series/new-zealand-tour-of-west-indies-2002-62105/west-indies-vs-new-zealand-5th-odi-64777/full-scorecard|title=5th ODI Kingston, June 16, 2002 New Zealand Tour of the West Indies|publisher=Cricinfo|website=cricinfo.com}}{{cite web|url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/renaissance-men-133363|title=Renaissance men|author=Smyth, Rob|date=2 September 2003|access-date=22 March 2022|website=cricinfo.com}} Despite losing the captaincy, Hooper was retained in the side for an upcoming Test and ODI series at home against Australia. He however pulled away to again retire from international cricket as he wanted a youngster in the team instead of him.

Hooper holds the accolade of being the first cricketer in the world to have scored 5,000 runs, taken 100 wickets, held 100 catches and received 100 caps in both ODIs and Tests, a feat only matched since by Jacques Kallis.[http://content-usa.cricinfo.com/records/engine/records/individual/most_matches_career.html?id=1;type=class ESPNcricinfo - Records - Test Matches - most matches] and [http://content-usa.cricinfo.com/records/engine/records/fielding/most_catches_career.html?id=2;type=class Most catches - One-day Internationals], retrieved 29 July 2007 Hooper is also the Windies' fifth highest spinning wicket taker, with 114 scalps in Test Matches. Along with that he's the Windies' fourth highest all time wicket taker, with 193 scalps, in One Day Internationals.{{cite web|url=https://stats.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/records/bowling/most_wickets_career.html?class=2;id=4;type=team|title=RECORDS - WEST INDIES - ONE-DAY INTERNATIONALS - MOST WICKETS|publisher=Cricinfo|website=cricinfo.com}}{{cite web|url=https://stats.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/records/bowling/most_wickets_career.html?class=1;id=4;type=team|title=RECORDS - WEST INDIES - Test Matches - MOST WICKETS|publisher=Cricinfo|website=cricinfo.com}}

Post-retirement

Since the late 1990s while still playing for West Indies, Hooper has lived, with wife Constance in Adelaide South Australia. He invested in various businesses in Australia and overseas.

He went on to complete a level 3 coaching accreditation with Cricket Australia in 2010.

Hooper has been involved with the SACA since 2010 to date, intermittently. As well as coaching overseas in India, Dubai and West Indies. He has also done various commentary gigs on radio and television.

During May 2011 Hooper was appointed as the batting coach of the Sagicor High Performance Centre located at the University of the West Indies' Cave Hill Campus. At the time he disclosed "The amount of talent I am seeing here (at the Sagicor HPC) has surprised me. I was away [from West Indies] for a while and you would see the game on television, but now that you get close and actually see the guys playing it is clear there is still a lot of talent around,". Hooper also opined that "Having an 'academy' is a great thing for West Indies cricket. The good thing about it is that you have your best young players assembled together and they get to work together as a team. The efforts and emphasis, as is being done, have to be placed on 'academies' at the developmental levels, if we are to see an improvement in the game."{{cite web |url=http://sports.in.msn.com/cricket/ind-wi/article.aspx?cp-documentid=5187268 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110625125948/http://sports.in.msn.com/cricket/ind-wi/article.aspx?cp-documentid=5187268 |archive-date=25 June 2011 |url-status=dead |title=Carl Hooper to groom young West Indian batsmen |work=MSN India |date=28 May 2011 }}

During 2014 he was appointed coach of CPL outfit Antigua Hawksbills. Hooper later joined up in January 2015, with the Guyana Amazon Warriors, as the CPL side's new head coach.{{cite web|url=https://www.stabroeknews.com/2015/01/17/sports/hooper-back/|title='Hooper is back!|date=17 January 2015|publisher=Stabroek News|website=stabroeknews.com}}