King of the centuries

By Gavin Staindl
CARDINIA captain Mark Cooper is not getting carried away with his recent record-breaking performances in the Premier Division after scoring three centuries in three rounds.
The modest cricketer was thrilled to have scored 112, 106 not out and 145 not out, but mainly for the sake of the team.
“As long as I get the most runs for the team I’m happy,” he said.
The three centuries in three rounds is a record for the Cardinia Cricket Club and its president, Gary Glen, said it could be a record for the West Gippsland Cricket League.
“It would be a record for the league just about,” he said.
“His effort was fantastic. In two of the three innings he batted out both days and he doesn’t give the bowlers many chances…he plays every ball on its merits.”
Ever since Cooper arrived at Cardinia from Cranbourne in 2007, Glen recognised him as a unique talent.
“He opens the batting for us (which includes one-dayers and Twenty20s) and he doesn’t hit lots of sixes for us…he is a foundation player who a team can build off,” he said.
With pivotal matches against Kooweerup and Tooradin likely to decide who makes the Premier Division top two and a chance to play on the MCG if results fall their way in the Kookaburra Victorian Twenty20 Cup, Cooper is happy to contribute to the team.
“I would be happy with double figures,” he laughed when he was asked how many runs he would make next round.
“I would love to make another ton, but we just have to wait and see.”