Hooper steers Lancashire to 25-run victory

LONDON: Former West Indies captain Carl Hooper smashed a half century and steered Lancashire to a 25-run victory over Nottinghamshire in England’s National Cricket League (NCL) limited overs championship on Sunday.

Hooper scored 71 in Lancashire’s score of 210 for nine off their 45 overs, and Nottinghamshire responded with 185 all out in 42.3 overs.
West Indies pacer Vasbert Drakes made his summer debut for Leicestershire in a losing effort against Warwickshire, and Nixon McLean’s Somerset beat Durham. At Cleethorpes, the 36-year-old Hooper and Australian Stuart Law maintained the fine form that saw them set up Lancashire’s big county win against Leicestershire last week. Hooper followed up his century in that match, with four fours and three sixes in his 105-ball 71. Law made 47 off 45 balls with nine boundaries. Nottinghamshire floundered badly at first, slumping to 34 for three at the hands of Peter Martin (3-18) and fell short in the end although Kevin Pieterson hit 54 off 46 balls. Hooper picked up one for 37 off nine overs with his off-spin.

At Leicester’s Grace Road, Pakistan pacer Waqar Younis picked up four for 37 to limit Leicestershire to 172, but it took a gritty team effort for Warwickshire to overhaul the total with four wickets and three overs to spare. Drakes, signed up last week by Leicestershire, scored 12 runs and took one for 24 off seven overs.  Ian Blackwell guided Somerset to victory at Chester-le-Street with an unbeaten 79 from 81 balls, after the top-order had made heavy weather of Durham’s meagre total of 187. Vincentian McLean picked up one for 41 off nine overs in Durham’s total, and Somerset reached 189 for six in 39 overs, against Shoaib Akhtar’s haul of five for 35.