PORT OF SPAIN, FEB 10: England captain Mike Atherton criticised the Queen's Park Oval pitch after his team's three-wicket defeat against the West Indies here today.The grim Atherton was heckled by the Trinidad crowd when he claimed: ``It wasn't a very good wicket for Test match cricket -- the wicket was a little bit up and down.''
But the England skipper added, ``Having said that, it produced an outstanding Test match, with the bowlers who bowled well getting some wickets and batsmen like Carl Hooper getting some runs as well.''
``The pattern of the game was you would have a little partnership and go an hour-and-a-half without losing a wicket and then losing two or three wickets quickly.''
Atherton commiserated with 11-wicket pace bowler Angus Fraser after the big man's heroic efforts failed to give England victory.
Fraser took three for 57 to go with his haul of eight for 53 in the first innings. ``Angus bowled outstandingly well throughout the match for us. It's extremely unfortunate for him totake 11 wickets in the match and finish up on the losing side,'' said Atherton.
Hooper, also praised the seamer, adding, ``Angus Fraser was really threatening throughout the five days and he was the one we were worried about. He was the one that created a lot of tension.''
Brian Lara, who tasted victory in his first Test as skipper of the West Indies, was unsurprisingly full of praise for Hooper's match-winning knock. ``As long as Carl was there, I thought we were going to win the game,'' said Lara.
SCOREBOARD
England (1st innings) 214
West Indies (1st innings) 191
England (2nd innings): 258
West Indies (2nd Innings): S L Campbell c Stewart b Headley 10, S C Williams c Crawley b Fraser 62, B C Lara c Russell b Fraser 17, C L Hooper not out 94, S Chanderpaul c Thorpe b Tufnell 0, J C Adams c Stewart b Fraser 2, D Williams c Thorpe b Headley 64, Curtley Ambrose c Russell b Headley 1, Kenny Benjamin not out 6; Extras (b10, lb8, nb7) 25.
Total (for seven wickets, off98.2 overs) 282.
Fall of wickets: 1-10, 2-68, 3-120, 4-121, 5-124, 6-253, 7-259.
Bowling: Dean Headley 16-2-68-3, Andy Caddick 16-2-58-0, Phil Tufnell 34.2-9-69-3, Angus Fraser 27-8-57-3, Adam Hollioake 5-0-12-0.
Result: West Indies won by three wickets.
Man of the Match: Carl Hooper.
Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.
