da betway： Carl Hooper went to sleep last night with a few worries ahead of thisweekend’s crucial back-to-back Cable & Wireless One-Day Internationalsagainst South Africa
da brdice： Haydn Gill05-May-2001Carl Hooper went to sleep last night with a few worries ahead of thisweekend’s crucial back-to-back Cable & Wireless One-Day Internationalsagainst South Africa.The West Indies captain surely would not have wanted to dream aboutwhat took place at the Antigua Recreation Ground (ARG) three days agowhen his bowlers made little impact in defending a total of 220.With the seven-matches series tied 1-1, the West Indies cannot affordto go to the Queen’s Park Stadium and deliver the type of loosematerial that was on offer in St. John’s.More pressureI am sort of worried about the bowling, Hooper admitted yesterdayafter a practice session at the impressive facilities of the St.George’s University.In the first 15 overs, South Africa seem to be getting off to flyersand being able to maintain pace pretty easily. We’ve got to get thatright and create more pressure.When the field restrictions were eased at the ARG, South Africa werealready 70 for one, and after 15 overs in the opening match at SabinaPark, they were 67 for one.Cameron Cuffy has been the only West Indian fast bowler to adhere to aconsistent off-stump line and three-quarter length, but the WestIndies will need Mervyn Dillon to step up this weekend.Cuffy and Dillon were last night chosen as the West Indies’ only twospecialist fast bowlers. It suggests that there is a reluctance to useNixon McLean and Kerry Jeremy, both having proved expensive in theopening matches when they shared the third pacer’s slot.CapableI think they have got the message, but obviously implementing it isgoing to be a bit difficult, Hooper said in reference to theinconsistency.In some games we have been good and in some have have been poor. Weknow that we are capable of beating South Africa, which is mostimportant, and that’s what we are going to try and do this weekend.Plenty is at stake and both teams know that defeats in both matcheswill leave them in a must-win situation for the fifth match of theseries in Barbados on Wednesday.South Africa, who went into the match at the ARG seeking to avoid athird successive limited-overs defeat for the first time since 1997,are contemplating changing their line-up.As captain Shaun Pollock explained, the intention is to give others achance.We don’t want to make too many changes, but you’ve got to keep guysfresh, he said. After a long tour, a couple of changes might berequired.The likes of Makhaya Ntini, Justin Kemp, Andre Nel and Paul Adamscould come into reckoning.West Indies, however, do not have the luxury of rotating personnel.We’d like to, but I don’t think we’ve got the quality of players to dothat, Hooper said. We need at all times to have the best 11 playing.We’re not in South Africa’s position where we can rotate and stillhave a strong squad.A notch higherWhile South Africa hardly did anything wrong on route to Wednesday’seight-wicket success, they still believe they can raise the game anotch higher.There are always areas to sharpen up on and we’ve got a few ideas onwhere we can improve, Pollock said.Pollock, who was impressed by the relatively new Queen’s Parkfacility, which hosted its first international match two years ago, isamong those who feel these matches can shape the course of the series.It is a big weekend with two games in such a short space of time, theSouth Africa captain said. If we can win both, we can jump a long wayahead.Hooper echoed his opposing number.These are two key fixtures. It’s going to be tiring, but if we can getahead with great games, it is going to be important in going toBarbados.
