Janeiro Tucker has been recalled to the Bermuda cricket squad for the ICC Americas Championship which starts tomorrow.

The Southampton Rangers batsman has been added in time for the Island's opener against Bahamas at the National Sports Centre after Chris Douglas was forced out through injury.

Douglas twisted his left knee playing for Willow Cuts against Rangers on Sunday, and failed to come through a late fitness test yesterday during national team training at Berkley Institute.

Tucker returns to the squad after more than a year away during which time he retired from international cricket, and had an operation to cure a long-standing knee problem. This season though he has already shown signs of his old explosive self, and his brutal innings of 80 in the Belco Cup final very nearly won the game.

"I watched him in the Belco Cup, he's playing well, he's obviously in form, and he's been an integral part of Bermuda cricket for a long time," said Bermuda head coach David Moore.

"We wanted to get him back into the squad because we know, and he knows, that he's still got something left to contribute. And when you get a player of his quality available after injury, you want to get him back as soon as you can.

"I've spoken to Janeiro and he's committed to maintaining the high standards that we have set for the squad, and I think he'll fit in very well."

Douglas was one of three players to undergo a fitness test yesterday, but while bowlers Kevin Tucker and Jim West were given the all-clear, team physio Craig Brown didn't even bother starting to put Douglas through his paces.

The batsman has damaged cartilage in his left knee and was sent to orthopaedic specialist Dr. Joe Froncioni for further evaluation yesterday, and may require an MRI to reveal the full extent of the injury.

Janeiro Tucker's return will mean that the loss of Douglas isn't felt as keenly as it might otherwise have been. The Bermuda middle order was exposed several times on the trip to Namibia in April, and Douglas was expected to come into the side to bolster the batting.

However, his loss, coupled with the hand injury that ruled Chris Foggo out of the squad, means the batting line-up for tomorrow's game is now likely to take on a totally different look to the one from the ill-fated tour of South Africa.

Bringing Janeiro Tucker into the side could signal a wholesale shift, with skipper David Hemp, who batted at four in Namibia, moving up the order. Hemp has enjoyed a good deal of success when opening, and by doing so again, could create a strong middle order of, Tucker at four, Irving Romaine at five, and possibly Malachi Jones at six.

That line-up would probably mean that Shannon Rayner and Terryn Fray miss out. But with the first three games against Bahamas, Argentina and Cayman, Moore has plenty of opportunity to discover his best 11 before the games that are likely to decide the tournament, against Canada and USA.

In the bowling department the only question mark hangs over Pitcher, who has a niggling injury in his right shoulder that will require some last minute treatment. However, Moore still expects him to be fit for the Bahamas game.

With Pitcher and Jones almost certain the play tomorrow, the other two spots are likely to be taken by Jim West and Kevin Tucker, although with Joshua Gilbert in the squad, the option of a second spinner is always there.

Possible Bermuda team: D Hemp, F Crockwell, S Outerbridge, J Tucker, I Romaine, M Jones, J Edness, J Pitcher, R Trott, J West, K Tucker, J Gilbert.