| Roger Harper was one of cricket's finest outfielders. | | | | Notwithstanding that, Harper's best innings bowling of |
| His athletic fielding overshadowed his more pedantic | | | | 6/57 against England in 1984 was a match-winning |
| off-spin bowling. The Guyanese cricketer was a | | | | effort, as he led the W.I. to an innings and 64-run |
| fringe player for the West Indies between December | | | | victory against their former colonial masters. |
| 1983 and April 1996-in a team that had a heavy | | | | Remarkably, Harper's best bowling effort in an innings |
| emphasis on fast bowling. Born in Georgetown on | | | | was better than his best bowling for match (6/90 in |
| March 17, 1963, the 6 feet, five inches spinner made | | | | the same match). |
| his debut for Guyana in the 1979/1980 First Class | | | | From 25 Test matches, Harper only managed 46 |
| season, when he was only 17 years old. | | | | wickets at a fair average of 28.06. His strike rate on |
| Harper caught the eye of the West Indies selectors | | | | 78.5 was not bad either; it showed that his apparent |
| in October 1983, when he made his ODI debut for | | | | low production rate was likely a result of bowling in a |
| the West Indies in Srinagar. He had an outstanding | | | | side with strike bowlers who were far more |
| debut-taking three wickets for 34 runs to help the | | | | effective than he was. To Harper's credit, his batting |
| Caribbean side to victory against India. It was no | | | | was solid as well-he even scored three Test |
| surprise that the outstanding fielder earned a Test | | | | half-centuries, with a best score of 74 against |
| debut in December 1983 against the same | | | | England at Manchester in 1988. |
| opponents. Given the strength of the West Indies' | | | | Harper also had a more distinguished ODI career for |
| bowling attack, the Guyanese spinner only bowled | | | | the Caribbean team. He played 105 matches for the |
| eight wicket-less overs and scored nought as the | | | | W.I. in that format, taking 100 wickets at an average |
| W.I. won by an innings and 46 runs. | | | | of 34.31. His economy rate of 3.97 is among the |
| In truth, Harper rarely got a chance to bowl for the | | | | most economical career bowling strike rates in ODIs |
| regional team. On many occasions when he played, | | | | as well. Ironically, Harper ended his ODI career with |
| the fast bowlers blew the opposition away before he | | | | the same figures of 3/34-although his international |
| got a chance to turn his arm over or he was only | | | | career ended in defeat against Sri Lanka in Port of |
| utilized when the quicker men needed to rest. | | | | Spain. |