November 16 Saturday 2002
Hooper to miss Bangladesh tour

AHMEDABAD: West Indian skipper Carl Hooper will miss the Caribbean outfit's cricket tour to Bangladesh in order to undergo surgery on his injured knee. The surgery will take place as soon as possible in order to ensure Hooper is fit for the Cricket World Cup.

Commenting on the situation team manager Ricky Skerritt said, "Although the injury has been providing Hooper with ongoing discomfort and cause for concern, it has been successfully managed so far on tour.

"Hooper has now decided to undergo the required corrective surgery at end of November so that he will be fully recovered by start of our pre-World Cup camp in January." Nobody has yet been named as a replacement skipper although veteran wicket-keeper Ridley Jacobs could be the man to fill the Guyanese batsman's shoes.

"I've assured Hooper of full support of West Indies Cricket Board and told him that we all look forward to his complete recovery and return to the team," Skerritt concluded, stressing the importance of Hooper to the Windies World Cup campaign.