Hyatt, Samuels to miss 4-day opener

Merchant gets maiden senior call-up

BY SANJAY MYERS Observer staff reporter myerss@jamaicaobserver.com

Sunday, January 29, 2012

HARD-HITTING batsman Danza Hyatt has been left out of the Tamar Lambert-led 13-man squad to represent Jamaica against the Windward Islands at Sabina Park in Friday's opening round of matches in the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) four-day tournament.

A source close to the Jamaica Cricket Association (JCA) said Hyatt, who has struggled with injuries and inconsistent form in recent months, will be "rested" for the Windwards game, but will be considered for the remaining fixtures.

Also absent from the squad are injury-prone pacer Jerome Taylor and West Indies middle-order batsman Marlon Samuels. Secretary of the JCA Fritz Harris confirmed that both made themselves unavailable for selection in order to honour contractual obligations in the upcoming Bangladesh Twenty20 cricket competition.

"Marlon advised the JCA through team management that he would be going off to Bangladesh to participate in the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) and he would leave before the first (four-day) game. As a result he is unavailable. He got the requisite permission from the WICB, so we have no problems there.

"Taylor was invited to the trial match and he came, but he advised the coaching staff that he would not be available for the first few matches because he is going off to Bangladesh as well," said Harris.

Taylor has not represented the West Indies in Tests since sustaining an injury on a tour of Australia in late 2009.

Former West Indies captain Chris Gayle and fast bowling all-rounder Andre Russell are also contracted to play in the BPL, but both made themselves available and are selected for the opening regional four-day showpiece.

Manchester off-spinner Jamie Merchant has received his first call-up to a senior four-day squad after narrowly missing out on selection for recent Super50 and T20 tournaments.

The side-lined West Indies batting trio of left-hander Brendan Nash, Brenton Parchment and Donovan Pagon are also selected.

The rest of the squad consists of Simon Jackson, David Bernard Jnr, Carlton Baugh Jnr, Odean Brown, Nikita Miller and Andrew Richardson.

Pagon struck 108 on yesterday's final day of the four-day trial match at Kensington Park.

Pagon's century, laced with eight boundaries and three sixes off 149 deliveries, helped David Bernard's Jnr XI to 243-6 in their second innings against Tamar Lambert's XI.

Scores: Bernard's XI 448 and 243-6; Lambert's XI 314 all out.

Pagon, who opened the innings, was ably supported by a brisk 51 from middle-order batsman Nkrumah Bonner.

Nash (173) and Russell (140) starred in Bernard Jnr's XI big first innings total, while Lambert lashed 112 in his team's reply.

Jamaica have won the past four regional four-day competitions and are seeking a record fifth this season.

Squad — Tamar Lambert (capt), Chris Gayle, Simon Jackson, Brenton Parchment, Brendan Nash, Donovan Pagon, David Bernard Jnr, Carlton Baugh Jnr, Andre Russell, Odean Brown, Nikita Miller, Andrew Richardson, Jamie Merchant.