Cricket: Hooper compiles faultless hundred

Griqualand West 271 & 123-5 West Indies 466

CARL HOOPER followed his captain, Brian Lara, to a century as the West Indies headed for victory over Griqualand West on their South African tour yesterday. By the end of the third day here, the home side were 123 for 5 in their second innings, 73 runs short of avoiding an innings defeat.

Earlier, Hooper had hit 109 - his century coming off 166 balls - as the West Indians reached 466. The vice-captain's chanceless innings ended when he the hooked left-arm seam bowler, Adri Swanepoel, to fine leg. He hit 11 fours and a six.

The West Indies had to do without Courtney Walsh in the second innings after the veteran fast bowler sprained his left ankle Saturday. Team officials said his injury was minor. Curtly Ambrose, the other veteran in the West Indies attack, was also out of action, recovering from having a toenail removed. He bowled in the nets yesterday and is expected to play in his first match of the tour against Free State in a four-day game, starting in Bloemfontein Friday.

Despite that, the tourists soon had Griqualand in trouble, with only their captain, Mickey Arthur, with 46, and Pieter Barnard, unbeaten on 42, looking confident. Their stand ended when Barnard failed to respond to Arthur's call, and Arthur was run out by Stuart Williams from cover.

Griqualand West won toss

GRIQUALAND WEST - First innings 271 (P Barnard 58; M Dillon 4-70)

WEST INDIES - First innings

(Overnight: 327 for 6)

C L Hooper c Botha b Swanepoel 109

R D Jacobs lbw b Symcox 40

F A Rose c and b Kruis 8

M Dillon c Bossenger b Kruis 44

C A Walsh not out 15

Extras (lb14 nb2) 16

Total 466

Fall: 1-14 2-61 3-168 4-190 5-205 6-291 7-370 8-381 9-416.

Bowling: Kruis 35.4-7-113-3; Symcox 36-4-102-3; Swanepoel 32-8-101-3; Botha 12-1-79-0 (nb1); Gidley 18-5-57-1 (nb1).

GRIQUALAND WEST - Second innings

M Arthur run out (Williams) 46

M Gidley c Wallace b Hooper 4

L Bosman c Williams b Dillon 8

P Barnard not out 42

W Dry c Lara b Chanderpaul 4

A Botha c Lara b Rose 5

F Brooker not out 10

Extras (nb4) 4

Total (for 5) 123

Fall: 1-17 2-46 3-79 4-86 5-99

Bowling: Dillon 11-6-26-1 (nb1); Rose 12-3-27-1 (nb3); Hooper 12-4-25- 1; Chanderpaul 14-5-33-1; Ganga 3-1-12-0.