The most positive thing so far in this important Test match occurred on day two. After Carl Hooper had won the toss on day one for the first time as captain, he showed why so many people get into tremendous arguments over his cricketing ability.

Hooper batted with fluidity, obvious class, while taking every opportunity to push the score and his team-mates to a respectable total. It was like a man reborn, throwing off the shackles of the supposed perennial underachiever, to show the new face of determination and production too.

That 69 he made was like blood to his team, especially since his middle order had slipped up even though Brian Lara had made a good 47, Chris Gayle had played so wonderfully for 81 and Marlon Samuels had pleased all with his 40.

Starting at 12 not out, and the West Indies wobbling at 232/7, Hooper used every trick he knew to cajole his fast bowler partner Merve Dillon to help him put on 62 runs for the ninth wicket, and more importantly, get the score to at least 300.

This, mind you, after Hooper and his overnight partner, Dininath Ramnarine, had confused each other with their calls for a quick run, the ball falling, unfortunately for them, in the hands of the very nifty Herschell Gibbs.

Partly responsible for that run out, since each batsman must take a piece of the blame in a run out, Hooper shrugged off the immediate obvious disappointment to play one of his more important innings without getting a century. It was mature, thoughtful and absolutely what was required at the time.

There are those who suggest that a cricket team's batting normally takes on the characteristics of the captain. While the West Indies team's batting was ultra conservative with Jimmy Adams as captain, perhaps daring with both Richie Richardson and Brian Lara as captain and so talented under Clive Lloyd, Hooper seemed to have already brought some responsibility and resolve to his troops. Perhaps because of his cool, but as Sir Vivian Richards suggested, "tough interior", Hooper has managed, rather quickly, to already transform the appearance of his team. They seem to at least be trying really hard.

That effort for the 69 was certainly needed by Hooper's team so that the West Indies could get to at least 300, a psychologically important number in a figure in a Test Match.

While it may not be enough, at least the West Indies made 300, through much effort. That type of effort will also have to be continued if South Africa are to be denied a first innings lead.

With Gary Kirsten, the plucky South African left-hander, playing as if he will have to be removed from the crease by some incendiary device, and his Western Province team-mate Jacques Kallis looking as if he is ready for his second Test century against the West Indies, after already taking over 500 runs from their bowling in only six games, the West Indies bowlers will need the sort of resolve that their new leader has already shown. Cultivation of this attitude by all in the "new" West Indies cricket team would be tremendous!

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