Hyatt back in the nets

Jermaine Lannaman, Gleaner Writer

Jamaica's highest individual scorer at last year's inaugural staging of the Caribbean Twenty20 Tournament, Danza Hyatt, has been given the all clear by the team's doctor to resume training after recovering somewhat from a finger injury sustained during one of the team's trial matches early last month.

The hard-hitting Hyatt, whose 89 (8x6, 4x4) off 50 balls against Barbados in the semi-finals last year was the highest individual score of the tournament, broke his right finger while batting during the team's second trial, which was played on an uneven track at Chedwin Park.

He was, however, considered to be lucky at the time, as according to the team's medical consultant Dr Akshai Mansingh, the break was whole and not splintered.

"Dr Mansingh gave me the go-ahead today and along with assistant coach Bennett [Junior], I started to bat some balls today," said Hyatt, shortly after the team's fifth practice match at Kensington Oval yesterday.

"I was expecting to feel a bit more comfortable while going through the session, but that has not happened, so I plan to rest it over the next two days and test it again in the nets on Monday.

"Next Monday would be one week before the actual start of the tournament, so after that session I should know how ready I am," added the 27-year-old.

If Hyatt does not make it, an opportunity would open for 20-year-old opening batsman Kenar Lewis, who was recently named as his cover after first-choice replacement, Nkrumah Bonner, was called up to the Combined Campuses and Colleges team.

The powerfully built Lewis, who has been a standout in the ongoing practice matches, is a former national Under-19 player and, like Hyatt, is renowned for big hitting.

He made 39 off 38 balls to topscore for Brenton Parchment's XI in the fourth warm-up match, while in yesterday's fifth, he was the second-highest scorer for Parchment's XI, with 34 off 33 balls, including five fours.

"It feels good to be in the position that I am in, and if given the opportunity to take part in the tournament I would be delighted and would consider it another learning experience," said Lewis, a former Holmwood Technical and St Elizabeth Technical High School representative.

In yesterday's practice match, Wavell Hinds' XI registered another impressive victory over Parchment's XI, which primarily included squad reserves and players who narrowly missed out on selection.

Batting first, Parchment's XI made 147 for six, as Parchment led the scoring with 58 off 50 balls. Left-arm wrist spinner Dennis Bulli took two for 13 off two overs and part-time bowler Shawn Findlay claimed 2-20, also off two overs.

Hinds' XI, on the back of an undefeated 55 from the in-form Marlon Samuels - his fifth unbeaten knock in eight innings - then made 169 for five, chasing a revised victory target of 180.

Xavier Marshall, who is also in good form, made 47 off 42 balls and young Horace Miller, 29 off 18.

Leg-spinners Odean Brown and Akeem Dewar, and pacer Jason Dawes, ended with a wicket each.

The team, which will break preparation this weekend for New Year Day's celebrations, will play the sixth and seventh practice matches next week Wednesday and Thursday, before leaving the island on Friday.