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 Sunday, 5 May, 2002, 20:25 GMT 21:25 UK
Harper: Future is bright
Merv Dillon (right) proved superb on the opening day
Merv Dillon (right) proved superb on the opening day
West Indies coach Roger Harper said his team were slowly reaching their full potential, after their 10 wicket win in the third Test against India.

The victory - which levelled the series at 1-1 - was the first in nine matches for West Indies, who had previously lost six out of the past seven Tests.

"This team is getting better and better," Harper said. "We're not far from being the sort of quality side we want this team to be."

"I think this team has been improving for a while. Obviously, for the media and West Indies cricket-loving public, not as fast as we would have liked, but the signs are good now."


All credit to the bowlers - especially to Mervyn Dillon on the first morning
West Indies coach Roger Harper
Harper, a former off-spinner, praised his bowlers for bundling India out for 102 in the first innings to set up the win.

"All credit to the them, especially to Mervyn Dillon on the first morning," Harper said.

Dillon captured four wickets in each innings to walk away with the man-of-the-match award.

"He really tore the heart of the Indian batting early and turned the game for West Indies. Then all the batsmen did well, put up a big first innings total of 394 on the board, to put us in total control."

India were restricted to 296 in their second innings, leaving the West Indies to knock off just five for victory.

Captain Carl Hooper, who scored 115 for his second century of the series, said it had been one of the rare tests where the team played as a unit.

"The good thing about this test match is that the verdict was convincing," Hooper said.

"We outplayed India in every department of the game, which was good to see."

But the 35-year-old cautioned against complacency going into the next test, which starts in Antigua on 10 May.

"I think we should take the same spirit to Antigua but the only caution is that it will be a new test and there've been numerous times in the past when we've come from having a good Test match to playing poorly.


The game in Trinidad was much closer - maybe we should have won that game
Roger Harper
"We've got to be careful, guard against complacency and do well again."

India won the second test at Port of Spain by 37 runs last month and Hooper said that match had given West Indies the belief that they could beat India.

"The game in Trinidad was much closer, maybe we should have won that game. We knew that even though we lost we were very capable of beating the Indians."

Hooper said he expected the selectors to take an unchanged team into the fourth Test, though opening batsmen Chris Gayle and Stuart Williams were struggling.

"They have obviously not done too well in this series, but I still have a lot of faith in Stuart Williams and Chris Gayle," Hooper said.

"It's up to the selectors who to pick for the next Test, but it can be hard to change a winning team."

Links to more West Indies v India stories are at the foot of the page.

 

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