Cooper expected back for Champions League

Allrounder Kevon Cooper will be back to full fitness in one week’s time, this according to manager of the T&T cricket team Omar Khan. Cooper injured himself in the opening match of the Asia versus the Caribbean T20 tournament on Thursday last against Afghanistan at the Queen’s Park Oval. Cooper was in the midst of an impressive spell and had to limp off the field. T&T went on to lose the game from that point. Cooper damaged the ligaments in his left ankle while bowling and had to be carried off the field. An x-ray was taken the following day to determine the extent of the damage and it was decided that Cooper needed 11 days off the field. This means that in one week’s time he will be back in action for the T&T team and is expected to take his place on the squad for the Champions League in South Africa. There is a proposed tour of Barbados for the national team from September 19 and he is expected to be back out on the field taking full part.

 

Cooper, the Rajasthan Royals allrounder, had suffered a knee fracture in the Indian Premier league that kept him out of the game for five weeks. He was the leading wicket-taker for the Royals in 2012, was injured while fielding during the game against Delhi Daredevils on April 29.  Playing his first season in the IPL, he had a dream debut as he picked up four wickets and slammed a first-ball six in the game against Kings XI Punjab. He played six games and bagged ten wickets at an economy rate of 7.25. He was bought by the Royals in the 2012 auction for $50,000. Meanwhile, Khan explained that the reason behind playing the matches in Barbados was because the pitches there were the closest to what was expected in South Africa. “In South Africa you have bouncy pitches and at home we don’t have those sort of pitches. When we were playing Champions League in India, it was all well and good to play matches at home because the pitches are the same but in South Africa the situation is different. The national team continued their preparations yesterday at the National Cricket Centre (NCC) and the team for the Champions League is expected to be released by the organisers today.