FUDADIN HOPING FOR PCL R4D RETURN

Georgetown, Guyana - West Indies middle-order batsman Assad Fudadin is aiming for a return to the West Indies Cricket Board’s Professional Cricket League (PCL) Four-Day Tournament, following the significant progress he has made in recovering from a finger injury.

The 29-year-old left-hander was ruled out of the West Indies Test series against South Africa late last year after he fractured the little finger on his right hand ahead of the opening match in Centurion. Fudadin had been called up as a replacement for Trinidad and Tobago’s Darren Bravo, who had pulled out of the series for “personal reasons”.

Fudadin was subsequently replaced by compatriot Narsingh Deonarine, who is yet to arrive in South Africa owing to visa issues.

In an interview with this media outfit on Tuesday, Fudadin said he was recuperating well and was confident of being back in action soon. He pointed out that his therapy would start this week and it was up to the doctor to give him clearance to restart training.

“I’m feeling very good at the moment; the recovery is coming along fine. Because of the nature of the injury I could not do any cricket training, but I have been doing some running and cardiovascular work, since I returned from South Africa,” Fudadin related.

The injury meant Fudadin, who played the last of his three Test matches in August 2012 against New Zealand in Jamaica, could not add to his tally, a major disappointment for the former West Indies youth player.

This latest setback means the Berbician will now have to work his way back up the ladder, and he is hoping to start that process when the PCL Four-day tourney resumes early next month.

Prior to the break to accommodate the Christmas holidays and the NAGICO Super50 Tournament, Fudadin played two of Guyana Jaguars’ four games, but had dismal returns, amassing just 59 runs from three innings, with a top score of 34.

However, prior to that he had shown some form for the West Indies A team in Sri Lanka, scoring a century in Moratuwa in October last. He had also scored an 89 for the Sagicor High Performance Centre team against the visiting Bangladesh A team in a First-Class game before that.

Meanwhile, when the PCL Four-Day Tournament resumes, Guyana Jaguars will play hosts Jamaica from February 6 to 9, followed by a clash with Leeward Islands Hurricanes a week later in Basseterre. After four games, the Guyana Jaguars are leading the table with 57 points, seven ahead of Jamaica.

First Published In The Guyana Times.