Carl Hooper

[slippy888]

Was he the Kl rahul of his generation guys?

 

[Anil]

No

 

[Slifer]

Don't know anything about KL Rahul but Hooper was immensely talented but imo, just didn't put in the type of work needed to make it at test level like Lara or even Shiv. He'd easily get a very attractive 30 or 40 runs then for no reason, lob a ball straight to deep midwicket or something daft like that. The man has 100s vs the WWs, McGrath and was very good vs spin. Just lacked the concentration at test level.

 

[SillyCowCorner1]

Don't know anything about KL Rahul but Hooper was immensely talented but imo, just didn't put in the type of work needed to make it at test level like Lara or even Shiv. He'd easily get a very attractive 30 or 40 runs then for no reason, lob a ball straight to deep midwicket or something daft like that. The man has 100s vs the WWs, McGrath and was very good vs spin. Just lacked the concentration at test level.

Carl Hooper reminds me of an old-school classical batsman. The way he plays his strokes is so elegant. He was our last classical batsman.

His late-cuts are to die for.
His lollipop offies are tempting.

 

[slippy888]

Don't know anything about KL Rahul but Hooper was immensely talented but imo, just didn't put in the type of work needed to make it at test level like Lara or even Shiv. He'd easily get a very attractive 30 or 40 runs then for no reason, lob a ball straight to deep midwicket or something daft like that. The man has 100s vs the WWs, McGrath and was very good vs spin. Just lacked the concentration at test level.

KL Rahul is famous?

 

[trundler]

It's weird to me that a bloke who played 100+ tests can be viewed as an unfulfilled talent. At that point you have to accept that the bloke wasn't good enough for whatever reason. There's this perception that fixing a seemingly talented player's temperament is a relatively simple fix but I don't know if that's true. I'd say Dravid was much, much more talented than any bloke who looks like he's got the shots but can't build innings consistently.

 

[Socerer 01]

It's weird to me that a bloke who played 100+ tests can be viewed as an unfulfilled talent. At that point you have to accept that the bloke wasn't good enough for whatever reason. There's this perception that fixing a seemingly talented player's temperament is a relatively simple fix but I don't know if that's true. I'd say Dravid was much, much more talented than any bloke who looks like he's got the shots but can't build innings consistently.

its the old hardwork vs natural god given talent debate that has existed since time immemorial

 

[Starfighter]

It's weird to me that a bloke who played 100+ tests can be viewed as an unfulfilled talent. At that point you have to accept that the bloke wasn't good enough for whatever reason. There's this perception that fixing a seemingly talented player's temperament is a relatively simple fix but I don't know if that's true. I'd say Dravid was much, much more talented than any bloke who looks like he's got the shots but can't build innings consistently.

For most people talent=aesthetics.

There is a more salient point with Hooper which is that his FC average outside of tests is 53. Like with Hick a lot of people see a failure to come close to FC figures as a 'waste of talent'.

 

[Ali TT]

Memory of Hooper for me was watching him whenever Kent were on the telly, playing with the tree in the outfield down at Canterbury. I think he hit it on a few occasions.

 

[Fuller Pilch]

For most people talent=aesthetics.

There is a more salient point with Hooper which is that his FC average outside of tests is 53. Like with Hick a lot of people see a failure to come close to FC figures as a 'waste of talent'.

Mark Waugh would be another example (although at least he played many outstanding test innings) and is an ODI great.

 

[mr_mister]

Hooper sure brought his A game against India in '02

Nearly a 600 run series

 

[Burgey]

Never saw Carl Hooper drop a catch. Not once. Bloke had among the best hands I've ever seen

 

[Arachnodouche]

Legend. Massive underarchiever- he should've averaged 45+ at least with his skills - but as a neutral I don't care, he was fantastic to watch on the field. Mark Waugh's cricketing counterpart in every respect.

 

[Jayro]

The only word which comes to mind remembering him is "wasted talant", he seemed like a natural athlete - good with the ball, bat and fielding, I believe he would have been a good player in most of these game like hockey, football etc

 

[Prince EWS]

For most people talent=aesthetics.

There is a more salient point with Hooper which is that his FC average outside of tests is 53. Like with Hick a lot of people see a failure to come close to FC figures as a 'waste of talent'.

His bowling record was good at that level too.

Non-Test FC record:
17272 runs @ 53
282 wickets @ 28

Looked like he should've been able to average 45/35 in Tests, backed that up entirely with his domestic performances, averaged 36/50 instead.

To be fair he did have a particularly dire start - take out the first three years of his career and he turned it around quite well averaging over 40 with the bat in 82 Tests, but even that felt like he was leaving some runs out there. He averaged 46 in 22 Tests as captain which is more like what people would've expected of him - perhaps the extra responsibilty solved some of his issues.

 

[RossTaylorsBox]

Like Piccolo, he trained in weighted clothing but forgot to remove it for the real matches.

 

[Coronis]

Like Piccolo, he trained in weighted clothing but forgot to remove it for the real matches.

How did you know I was watching DBZ abridged?

 

[RossTaylorsBox]

I just assumed everyone was watching it.

 

[Smudge]

The only word which comes to mind remembering him is "wasted talant", he seemed like a natural athlete - good with the ball, bat and fielding, I believe he would have been a good player in most of these game like hockey, football etc

I'd almost call him a wasteman. In fact, I'm stunned the opening post doesn't feature that very word.

 

[HeathDavisSpeed]

The only word which comes to mind remembering him is "wasted talant", he seemed like a natural athlete - good with the ball, bat and fielding, I believe he would have been a good player in most of these game like hockey, football etc

As the Late, Great Sid Waddell once said "There's only one word for that: - Magic Derts"