By Rajiv Bisnauth
EON Hooper has not given up hopes of a return to the national setup, and a chance to revamp his cricket career, the out-of-favour off-spinner said yesterday.
The 29-year-old Berbician played one first-class game, back in 2016, but didn’t do his chances any good when he went wicket- less in the game.

However, with the fierce competition within the Guyana Jaguars spin department, Hooper was dropped thereafter.
“I would love to be back in the national setup, but it will take a lot of work, performance on the field and more so mental strength,” the Rose Hall Town resident said.

Hooper, a slimly built right-arm off-spinner, first made an impression when he was the leading wicket-taker in the first-ever Jaguars Franchise League Three-day tournament, held in 2016, claiming 44 wickets for Upper Corentyne. He returned an astonishing five, five-wicket hauls in seven games, including a best of 6-46 against Georgetown.

He followed up with a five-wicket haul in the Four-day warm-up game at the Everest ground prior to the selection of the Guyana Jaguars squad to face Jamaica Scorpions that year.
Although he was not in the original 13-man squad, Hooper, the cousin of former Guyana and West Indies batsman, Carl Hooper, gained the selectors nod after leg-spinner Devendra Bishoo was called up to West Indies duties with the one-day squad for the Tri-Nation series in Zimbabwe.

Hooper, who has been around senior cricket for a number of years, but surprisingly has never represented Guyana at the regional youth level, said he is working overtime at his home club, the Rose Hall Town Youth and Sports Club, and at the gym to remain fit.