At 28 Guyana Jaguars Captain Leon Rayon Johnson not only became the only Guyanese Skipper to win consecutive First-Class titles, but he led also from the front with bat with the most runs in the tournament from 10 matches, Johnson was the only batsman with 800 runs (807) he also made two centuries and five fifties at an average of 57.64 and hit the most sixes (19) and took the second most catches (17). But the crowning moment for Johnson, who has two fifties in four Tests, was seeing Gudakesh Motie at long-on, run to his left to catch Dennis Bullie off Veerasammy Permaul to give Guyana an innings and 54-run win against Jamaica and its eighth Regional First-Class title.
No team has won more than eight matches in a single season and the victory against Jamaica was the eighth for the Jaguars. The Jaguars also won eight games last season. Jamaica is the only other team to win eight games in a season which they achieved in 2008 & 2012.
Johnson joined Clive Lloyd (75 & 83) and Roger Harper (87 & 93) as the only Guyana Captain to win the title twice after Rohan Kanhai led Guyana to its first title in 1973. Carl Hooper is the only other Guyanese Captain to lift the Trophy in 1998. “It’s great to be in the prestige company of Mr. Lloyd and Mr. Harper in terms of titles won, Guyana has produced high quality players and teams in the past but has never been able to repeat as champions so that’s a feather in the cap of me and the team,†Johnson said with a smile as broad as the Kamauni Creek where he hails from…
“I think one of the main reasons for us remaining unbeaten has been our consistency in all departments including the way we prepare, what we produce on the field is just a reflection of the way we train and prepare for games,†said the GCC left-hander…
“Our strength this season has been our bowling, on eight occasions we have been able to take 20 wickets and win games. I am a firm believer that bowlers win matches, so once we the batters put the runs on the board we give the bowlers the chance to express themselves,†said Johnson, who has four tons and 28 fifties from 73 games at this level…
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