Essex left-arm opening bowler Scott Brant is facing some weeks on the sidelines having sustained another injury.

Brant was included in the 12-man squad for the current championship match against Hampshire.

But he was omitted from the starting 11 and has returned to Chelmsford with an Achilles problem for physiotherapy and rest.

His spell on the treatment table could allow Danish Kaneria to make a surprise return, depending on whether the bowler is required by Pakistan for their pre-ICC Trophy tournament in Amsterdam.

If the prognosis revealed that Brant's injury was likely to keep him out of action for three weeks or more, then the door would be open for Kaneria to return.

The leg-spinner grabbed 40 championship wickets in seven games before linking up with his international colleagues for their unsuccessful Asia Cup campaign.

Kaneria played in only one match in that competition and could find himself out of the squad when Pakistan play a pre-ICC Trophy in Amsterdam in the middle of this month.

Essex belived Kaneria was unavailable for the rest of the season and opted to replace him as one of their Overseas players with New Zealand all-rounder Andre Adams.

But if Brant were ruled out for some time, and Kaneria was surplus to Pakistan one-day requirements, then supporters should expect to see Kaneria once again carrying the Essex attack during the final weeks of the season.

Published Thursday August 5, 2004

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