Hooper SHARJAH, United Arab Emirates, (Reuters):
WEST INDIES captain Carl Hooper wants his team to improve in all areas in the forthcoming three-match one-day series against Pakistan after their whitewash in the Tests.
"We can't afford to let the match drift by poor fielding as we did during the Test series," Hooper said yesterday.
"We badly need to improve our fielding and take all catches that come our way," said Hooper.
"We are looking for all-round improvement though batting and fielding remain our major worries," the skipper said.
"I admit we didn't do too well in the Test series, but that's behind us."
Pakistan won the Test series 2-0 after crushing West Indies by 244 runs on the fourth day of the second Test on Sunday.
"We always have fared well in one-dayers and we're looking forward to salvaging something from the series," said Hooper.
West Indies have flown in Runako Morton to beef up their struggling side, the Leeward Island all-rounder replacing injured Marlon Samuels who underwent immediate arthroscopic surgery on his left knee and will be out for six weeks.
The 23-year-old Morton staked his claim for a place through his impressive domestic performances, including smashing 104 runs against Trinidad in a league match.
"Runaki Morton is a very good all-rounder, his fielding is world class and he will be the one to watch," said Hooper.
Sherwin Campbell, West Indies' former vice captain, is expected to be fit for the third one-day game after breaking his right little finger during the first Test against Pakistan.
The Pakistan camp, buoyed by their comprehensive second Test success, will not however be overconfident.
"It's (the one-day series) a new tournament, a different ball game," skipper Waqar Younis said.
"West Indies have a good reputation (in one day games) and we have to be very alert. The return of Wasim Akram is an added bonus, but having said that I must say we are not taking West Indies lightly. They have some very good stroke-players," he said.
"You can't predict anything in one-day games."
Akram has joined the side along with off-spinner Shoaib Malik, meaning the Pakistanis have no injury worries as they set their sights on making a clean sweep of the series, which is being played for the first time in a neutral venue.
Akram, in particular, will be aiming to achieve a world first in one-day cricket. The veteran fast bowler, now fully recovered from a hamstring injury that kept him out of the Test series, is only four wickets shy of the 450-mark.
"I am hungry for more success," said Akram, who also has 414 Test wickets under his belt. "My aim is to enjoy cricket, the records will come automatically."
Akram has fond memories of playing West Indies in the short version of the game after destroying them with a hat-trick of wickets in October 1989, also in Sharjah.
