Hooper sees triumph as turning point

West Indies captain Carl Hooper said the Test series triumph over India was a sign that his team had finally turned the corner.

The home side bowled India out for 252 on the final morning of the deciding fifth Test after setting the tourists a victory target of 408 and consequently bouncing back from successive series losses to Sri Lanka and Pakistan.

"We are making progress and I think finally turning the corner," Hooper said.

But the 35-year-old said there was still a long way to go for his team.

"There is a lot of hard work to do still, better teams out there to play. Maybe one day when we can compete with an Australian side, it would be time to say we have truly turned the corner and are back on top."

West Indies, who dominated cricket in the late 1970s and early 1980s, have lost 24 of their last 27 away Tests in the last five years.

"The important thing is we got a result today," Hooper said. "We've been in situations before where we have played good cricket and still not come away with positive results."

NO COMPLACENCY

Hooper said the key was for the side to not be complacent during their rebuilding process.

"It's very important that we watch what we do in the next Test series, which is only a couple weeks away. There are also 10 one-day games and we can't afford to be complacent or get carried away."

New Zealand tour West Indies for a Test and one-day series following a five-match limited-overs tournament with India starting this weekend.

Hooper said he was thrilled because some of the younger players had played a crucial role in the series, which saw West Indies recover after losing the second Test in Trinidad by 37 runs.

"A lot of young players are doing well, which is encouraging," he said. "Adam Sanford and Pedro Collins bowled really well, Wavell Hinds did well as opener and the middle-order came good when it mattered."

Sanford, who had made his debut in the first drawn Test at Georgetown, finished with 15 wickets in the series.

"It's very important to have a full strength side through the next few months," Hooper said.

"I don't think we have got the depth in the West Indies cricket to miss a few key players and perform at the level we want to. If we miss a Brian Lara or a Mervyn Dillon, the side is obviously weakened."

The 35-year-old skipper top scored with 579 runs in the series with Shivnarine Chanderpaul close behind with 562 at an average of 140.5

Dillon was the top wicket-taker with 23, taking his career tally up to 99.

Mail Cricket Editor