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Although pleased with the team's performance, generally "a lack of application", said West Indies skipper Carl Hooper, led to defeat against South Africa yesterday at the Queen's Park Oval.

Starting the fifth day of the second Test of the 2001 Cable & Wireless Series on 32 for one and looking for 200 more runs for victory, the West Indies found themselves in trouble at 86 for five at lunch, and just after 4 p.m. were all out for 162.

South African captain Shaun Pollock-who described the match as "the most intense battle" ever-was always confident of his side's ability to win.

"Yes, I believed we could win, I believed so last night and when we came out this morning I believed it. I knew it wasn't going to be easy...but I think the guys stuck to the task well and did it well,"said Pollock.

On the other side, Hooper said his batsmen needed to carry on after they got starts.

"We need to show more application to our batting so that we could convert these 30s and 40s into hundreds."

But although disappointed in the final outcome, Hooper highlighted some positives.

"Well, I think (Mervyn) Dillon in the second innings bowled very well and the evergreen (Courtney )Walsh continues to bowl well. Ramnarine bowled well after an early spell where he went for 31 off six overs...the thing is, although we lost, we were competitive."

Hooper added that facing a "tough bunch and a very disciplined side" in the South Africans, his team were right there with the visitors until the last day.

Though down 1-0 , Hooper is optimistic that his side's fortunes will change for the third Test starting in Bridgetown, Barbados on March 29.

"After losing matches within three to four days, now you're getting games finishing after tea (on the fifth day), so we're certainly heading in the right direction," stated Hooper.

© The Barbados Nation