Windies ready for Lankan test

CAPE TOWN: West Indies cricket captain Carl Hooper is embracing tomorrow’s crucial Pool “B” World Cup match against Sri Lanka as a challenge that will examine his team’s readiness for the World Cup title.

The West Indies, with a programme of intense net sessions ahead of their remaining first round matches against Sri Lanka, and Kenya next Tuesday, are keen to win both matches to secure 18 points and a spot in the Super Six stage.

“If we want to go all the way to try winning the World Cup, I think this is a good test for us,” Hooper told reporters.

“They’re going to be like two finals, we want to head the group, more importantly we want to take some points to the next round.

“We’ve prepared well, I think we are ready for it and I think we’re going to do well against Sri Lanka,” Hooper added.

The West Indies are engaged in a tight race for a top-three spot and Super Six qualification and defeat against Sri Lanka would severely dent their hopes of advancing.

“I think we are all aware that if we lose the match on Friday, we could more or less pack our bags or maybe sit back and watch to see the outcome of the Sri Lanka/South Africa fixture,” said Hooper, who is appearing in his third World Cup tournament.

The West Indies, World Cup champions in 1975 and 1979, were relegated to fourth in the Pool “B” standings Wednesday when New Zealand defeated Bangladesh by seven wickets in Kimberley to move into the top three.

With two wins, one loss and a no-result in their four matches so far for 10 points, the West Indies are trailing Kenya, Sri Lanka and New Zealand.

“It’s all in our hands whether we go forward or not, and I think we can write our own fate by winning this weekend and then next week beating Kenya,” said Hooper.

It is unclear whether the West Indies will make any changes to their squad and they may contemplate omitting the struggling opener Chris Gayle — who has averaged a mere eight runs from his four innings — to create a place for the talented middle-order batsman Marlon Samuels, who is yet to play a match in the tournament.