Nash declared fit as Jamaica depart

Jermaine Lannaman, Gleaner Writer

Brendan Nash, who picked up a hamstring injury during Jamaica's commanding 165-run win over Guyana in their opening match at Alpart Sports Club, St Elizabeth, last weekend, has been included in Jamaica's 13-man squad.

The contingent left the island yesterday en route to St George's, Grenada, where they will play the Windward Islands in their next West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) Regional Four-day Tournament match, beginning on Friday.

The reliable middle-order batsman, who had to retire hurt on 25 in Jamaica's second innings, picked up the injury while playing a supporting role to Marlon Samuels, who went on to make 250 not out. After failing to take field for the remainder of the match, it was feared that Nash may have missed the team's next set of matches.

However, after leaving the match early for Kingston on Monday's fourth and final day to see the team's medical consultant, the 33-year-old left-hander was later passed fit to play.

"Information from the medical staff is that it is a slight hamstring strain that should be OK, with some rest," said Jamaica's head coach Augustine 'Gus' Logie shortly before the team's departure.

"When we get over there (Grenada), naturally, we will assess him to see how fit and ready he is. But for right now, we are confident that he should be available to play," he added.

Meanwhile, there is no change to the squad that was named for the Guyana match.

Experience left out

This means that there continues to be no place for experienced batsmen Donovan Pagon, Brenton Parchment and Xavier Marshall, or young batsman Horace Miller, with off-spinner Bevon Brown and fast bowler Andrew Richardson still listed as reserves.

Jamaica, joint leaders in the standings on 12 points along with the Combined Campuses and Colleges and England Lions, will play three first-leg matches on the road before returning home on February 28.

They are down to play Barbados at Kensington Oval after the Windwards game, before rounding off their trip against the Leeward Islands at Warner Park in St Kitts.

"The vibe in the camp is pretty good given the way we fought back in the Guyana game after losing first innings, and the hope is that over the next few weeks we will be able to put in similar or better performances," continued Logie.

SQUAD: Tamar Lambert (captain), Simon Jackson, Danza Hyatt, Brendan Nash, Marlon Samuels, Wavell Hinds, David Bernard Jr, Chadwick Walton, Jerome Taylor, Odean Brown, Bevon Brown, Andrew Richardson, Sheldon Cotterell.