Tucker’s Twenty/20 hopes dented after accident at work
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Star all rounder Janeiro Tucker is nursing a hamstring injury that has put his ICC World Twenty20 plans on hold.
An accident at work has left Janeiro Tucker’s hopes of representing Bermuda at next March’s ICC World Twenty20 Global Qualifiers in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) hanging in the balance.
The Southampton Rangers all-rounder, who smashed a record 186 in Cup Match exactly a decade ago, recently injured his left hamstring on the job site while climbing a ladder and his place in the Island’s 14-man squad for Dubai is now doubtful.
“This is a big setback . . . this has set me back to square one and now I have to start all over again to get in shape,” Tucker told The Royal Gazette.
The star cricketer’s injury may take weeks to heal which means he could miss a large chunk of the intensive training sessions national coach David Moore is expected to put his players through early in the New Year to ensure they arrive in Dubai focused and in good health.
Tucker, though, hopes provisions can be made paving the way for him to rejoin the squad at a later date once he makes a full recovery.
“It could take another month or so before I start training and so I will have to talk to the coach and physical staff to see where I stand from that standpoint,” he said. “Time will tell everything.”
Prior to his mishap, Tucker had whipped himself into good physical shape, training regularly with the national squad as well as on his own in his spare time.
“I have been training and doing what I have to do and my shape was coming along,” he added. “I was in pretty decent shape physically.”
It’s understood the Island’s 14-man World Twenty20 Global Qualifying squad must be submitted to the International Cricket Council (ICC) a month prior to the start of the tournament, with the team due to depart for Dubai in early March.
Bermuda have been pitted in Group A along with fellow ICC Associate members Netherlands, Canada, Papua New Guinea, Nepal, Denmark and Hong Kong and Affiliates Afghanistan, who appeared in the previous ICC World Twenty20 held in the West Indies.
Asked to share his thoughts on the teams Bermuda have been grouped with, Tucker replied: “Bermuda needs to get their own preparation sorted out and not worry about other teams. We have to think about ourselves before we can start thinking about everybody else.”
Tucker said he would also like to see more of his team-mates attend indoor training sessions on a regular basis.
“It’s disappointing when you have a squad of 25 players or so and only a select few are attending training,” he added. “I know everyone has different commitments but at the end of the day you have to put some of that stuff aside and do what you have to do if you want to take the best team. If not we are going to stay stuck taking teams away with the intent of competing but not able to win. It’s basically up to the players to come out.”
When asked about his long term plans at the international level, Tucker said: “I’m just taking it one step at a time because I can’t see what the future holds for me.
“If I can keep myself in shape then anything is possible for me. But right now my game plan is to get myself back in shape and deal with the March (World Twenty20) issue first before I begin to think about long term.
“I don’t know the direction they (BCB) want to go in so right now I’m just dealing with the short-term objectives.”
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Published Dec 22, 2011 at 8:25 am (Updated Dec 22, 2011 at 8:23 am)