Leon Johnson - Defeat not affecting the team

The previous highest successful fourth innings run chase in Regional First Class cricket was achieved 33 years ago when the Windwards overhauled 368 to beat Trinidad & Tobago in 1983 in Port-of-Spain but the Leewards, one of the weakest teams over the last few seasons pulled out all the stops to eclipse that record last week at the tiny Winsor Park in St Kitts.

The Guyana Jaguars declared their second innings on 233-8 to set the Leewards Hurricanes an improbable 369 to win on a last day track. By the end of the penultimate day the host had reached 47-0 and what transpired on the final day was a stunning batting blitz which ended an 19-match unbeaten streak by the Jaguars which began after they suffered an upset defeat by Barbados Pride in 2014 when they were bowled out for 67 at Providence needing 69 to win.

Kieran Powell (54) and Montcin Hodge (114) provided the Hurricanes with 93-run opening stand before Nkrumah Bonner (82) and Jahmar Hamilton (49*) who hit left-arm spinner Gudakesh Motie for six to take his team to 372 and a famous win.

For 29-year-old Jaguars Captain Leon Johnson and his team the Hurricanes run-chase came as a surprise but despite the shocking last day result, Johnson, the only Guyanese to win back-to-back First Class titles, said team spirit among the two-time defending champions was in no way affected.

”No it (result) has not affected team spirit at all, informed the left-handed Test batsman. “We were looking to have a lead of 350 and we got past that in the amount of overs we wanted to bat. We figured that 350 would be enough runs to defend in 115 overs.

We were surprised to be honest. I guess that’s the nature of the game. They made 158 in better batting conditions in the first innings then managed to make 372 to win,” Johnson explained.

All of the batsmen have gotten starts but none of them have managed to score a triple-figure score this season and Johnson admitted some level of frustration at this fact.

”It’s a bit frustrating that no one had managed a century as yet I think that’s the difference between us making 290 and 350 in our first innings so far” said Johnson who has played nine Test Matches.

When asked if Bishoo was missed, Johnson said he was, but feels the Jaguars still have a good enough squad to perform better than they did without him.

“It’s the only game we have lost so there is no reason to panic or blame players or make excuses about missing a player” noted Johnson.

The Jaguars’ preparation for tomorrow’s historic day/night game with the pink ball has been hampered by the adverse weather here in St Lucia and by the presence of Prince Harry, who is expected to play in a T20 match today at 09:00hrs at the Darren Sammy Stadium.

However, Johnson says that an area of improvement his team will be focusing on this afternoon will be definitely getting a bigger first innings total.

First Published By Kaieteur News.