Carl Hooper and 'The Triple', Thanks

Even though Carl Hooper is ridiculed as one of the biggest underachievers in Test cricket, a recent milestone reveals a glimmer of what this well beloved son of Guyana could have been.

When Carl took the the catch to dismiss Younis Khan in the third one day international in the recent series in Sharjah, he became the first cricketer to have achieved what I call 'The Triple' in international cricket.

ODIs: 205 matches, 5,310 runs, 180 wickets, 100 catches.

Tests: 92 matches, 5,020 runs, 103 wickets, 106 catches.

The recurring statistic is amazing. 5,000 runs, 100 wickets and 100 catches in both forms of the game at the highest level.

There were many better all-rounders in the game before him: Ian Botham, Kapil Dev, Imran Khan, etc. None fo them has managed 'The Triple'.

This is a remarkable achievement for a man labelled a failure by many around the Caribbean.

It's indeed disappointing that a player of Hooper's immense talent never achieved true greatness. I'm sure I'm not alone in spending countless days and nights trying to put the pieces together.

My wish for Carl (and I'm sure many of his supporters feel the same way) is that he leaves Test cricket with a meaningful legacy. He still has a chance to improve his numbers and do that.

Whatever happens from now until his retirement, Carl has achieved a milestone we are all proud of. I, for one, am grateful.

Thanks Carl.

* EDITOR'S NOTE: This article was submitted by an anonymous fan. Anyone wishing to take credit for it MUST first email the link to 50 of their closest friends and 36 family members. Cheers :)