Hooper ready for Windies comeback

All-rounder Carl Hooper is willing to come out of retirement to play for the West Indies again.

''Of course I'll play. I have always been proud to represent West Indies and even though I retired (in 1999), nothing has changed," he said on Sunday.

''If the selectors think I can still do a job in some shape or form of course I'll play. I don't know what the selectors are thinking. It's up to them.''

Hooper, 34, quit the international game during the one-day series against Australia last year, although he has played grade cricket for carlton in Australia.

He returned to the region last week to represent Guyana in the Red Stripe Bowl limited overs tournament, but missed the four-day Busta Cup earlier this year which makes him ineligible for the Test squad for the tour of Australia next month.

But having played in the Bowl he could still make the one-day squad.

Hooper is a stylish middle-order batsman and an off-spinner more effective in one-day cricket than Tests.

Former West Indies coach Viv Richards has called for Hooper's return. Some pundits have even suggested he could come back as captain.

Mail Cricket Editor