injury, with Ricky Hill the latest member of the casualty list on account of a broken left thumb, which required the insertion of two pins and encasement in a plaster cast.

The two-sport athlete who doubles as one of the Island's most prolific opening batsmen as well as a top soccer striker is expected to be sidelined for three to four weeks.

He incurred the break during his club Hotels International's Saturday night soccer match against PHC when he fell and jammed the thumb into the turf.

"It was a freak situation really,'' said Hill from home yesterday. "I was going for a 50-50 ball and hit a defender's heel or something, tripped and it (thumb) broke when I hit the ground.'' Ironically this is the second time within the past two months that a squad player has been hurt playing another sport. The team's only specialist wicket-keeper Dean Minors earlier suffered a season-ending knee injury while playing soccer for his school Old Dominion University.

Like Minors, Hill intends to return to soccer and does not feel that the current injury will have any lingering effects.

"As long as I'm fit and able I'll be back (playing soccer),'' said Hill, who has represented Bermuda internationally in both sports. "Domestically I think I still have a lot to offer in football.'' He also pointed to the fact that he has broken several of his fingers -- mostly when acting as a wicket-keeper -- to no ill consequence. Hill actually broke his right thumb one Cup Match and after two weeks removed the cast and resumed playing despite being given a three or four-week period for recovery.

Said Hill: "This time it is a bit different having the pins in but still I don't envisage any problems.

"The right hand is more important for grip (as far as a right-handed batsmen is concerned) rather than the left.'' Looking down the road he indicated that there will come a time when he will have to make a decision on the two sports and that cricket would probably be that choice as he feels there is more longevity in the sport. Hill used the example of the West Indian duo of Gordon Greenidge and Viv Richards playing well into their late thirties at the Test level.

Hill was present at the opening ICC training session on Saturday morning and said he felt that the team was in good shape to do well in the tournament and stand a chance to qualify for the World Cup against the Test-playing nations.

"If we can get the same sort of response that the football team got for its World Cup bid I feel we'll have a good chance.'' RICKY HILL -- Expects full recovery from broken left thumb.