WEST INDIES Test player Leon Johnson has been named the captain of the Guyana Jaguars who will engage the Leeward Islands franchise in the first round of the West Indies Cricket Board/Professional cricket League which bowls off on Friday at the Guyana National Stadium.Johnson will have as his deputy, West Indies ‘A’ middle-order batsman Assad Fudadin, while the squad also includes Guyana’s lone foreign franchise player in Raymond Reifer, along with Vishaul ‘Cheesy’ Singh and Rajendra Chandrika.
Dependable West Indies middle order batsman in 40-year-old Shivnarine Chanderpaul is also included in the 13-man squad, but there is no place for his 19 year old son in opener Tagenarine Chanderpaul along with his Guyana and West Indies Under-19 teammate Shimron Hetmyer.
The Guyana Jaguars lineup was selected following two four-day practice matches that were held at the Georgetown Cricket Club and the venue for Friday’s game, with Singh leading his side to a two-wicket victory in the first while the second ended in a tame draw, with left arm spinner Veerasammy Permaul picking up 13 wickets.
Permaul along with Windies ‘A’ team leg spinner Devendra Bishoo will control the Jaguars spin department with amicable support from Narsingh Deonarine and Johnson if needed while Ronsford Beaton, Christopher Barnwell, Reifer and Fudadin will control the pace bowling department.
The 13 man squad reads: Leon Johnson (captain), Assad Fudadin, Rajendra Chandrika, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Trevon Griffith, Vishaul Singh, Narsingh Deonarine, Raymond Reifer, Anthony Bramble, Christopher Barnwell, Veerasammy Permaul, Devendra Bishoo and Ronsford Beaton. (Calvin Roberts)