By Tym Glaser, Associate Editor - Sport
Rose... on the mend.
INJURED JAMAICAN paceman Franklyn Rose plans to be an integral part the island's Busta Cup campaign by the middle of next month.
Rose, whose sojourn in South Africa with provincial side Gauteng was curtailed by a knee injury last year, said he was well on the road to recovery yesterday and wanted to be involved in Jamaica's Cup campaign.
"I did a little workout on Saturday with the squad," Rose said. "A little gym work, some running and I had a chat with the guys. The knee is progressing well and I hope to be playing by mid-February which would mean I'd miss the first three games of the season," he said.
Jamaica's chairman of selectors, Ruddy Williams, said Rose would be welcomed back to the fold if he was "fit and available" and St. Ann native added the response from the team's management and players was very positive and it was now up to him to get in tip-top shape after the operation on his left knee.
"I'm very confident I can put this injury behind me and be ready by next month," Rose said. "However, it's also important not to push things too much and get carried away. I am going to work out with (Olympians) Sandie Richards and Juliet Campbell and hopefully I will learn some things from them and maybe they might learn some things from me," he said.
Rose, although not in the twilight of his career, realises the window of opportunity for returning to the West Indies team is growing smaller.
In a topsy-turvy 19 Test career he has captured 53 wickets at an average of 30.88.
"It is every player's dream to represent their country and I realise this is probably my last five years in the game," the 29-year-old said.
"I am going to get as fit as possible and give it everything I've got," he said.
Rose also said he'd like to return to Gauteng next season.
"I was really enjoying it in South Africa and doing pretty well before I got injured. It's very competitive there and hopefully I'll be invited back. I liked it there and they liked me," he said.
Meanwhile, Jamaica's final four-day Busta Cup practice match between a Robert Samuels XI and a Gareth Breese XI will start at 10:00 this morning at Sabina Park.
Team: Samuels XI (from): Orlando Baker, Leon Garrick, Wayne Cuff, Wavell Hinds, Robert Samuels, Marlon Samuels, Maurice Kepple, Carlton Baugh Jnr, Bevon Brown, Laurie Williams, Matthew Sinclair, Darren Powell, Dwight Mais, Jermaine Lawson, Ryan Cunningham, Kevin Peart.
Breese XI (from): Chris Gayle, Keith Hibbert, Tamar Lambert, Ricardo Powell, Mario Ventura, Tyson Gordon, David Bernard Jnr, Gareth Breese, Royan Smith, Brian Murphy, Denville McKenzie, Audley Sanson, Philip Keating, Lascelles Davis, Leon Bent.
