Latest update April 18th, 2024 12:59 AM
Sep 09, 2013 Sports
By Sean Devers
Guyanese Left-handed stroke player Leon Johnson is confident of success on his first tour to India with the West Indies ‘A’ although he admitted at not getting the type of turf practice he was hoping for because of the adverse weather in Guyana over the past few weeks.
Johnson, who also bowls leg-spin, played three ODIs for the West Indies team in 2008 but has not been recalled since. He was good enough to have scored an ODI fifty after making his first-class debut for Guyana as a 16 year-old.
The GCC player set tongues wagging during his under-15 days and played two First-Class matches in 2004 but he had to wait for another four years for his third match.
“I think I have been batting well during the last four months although it is virtually impossible for me to find a pitch to practice on due to rain. I have had to resort to using the artificially pitch at GYO for practice,” Johnson, who departs Guyana today, informed.
He Captained the West Indies at the Under-19 World Cup in 2006 and when he returned to the Guyana senior team in 2007, he enjoyed a productive Series, scoring 427 runs at an average of 42.70 despite not making a century.
“My expectations for India are high and I have set certain goals which includes making at least one century in the three ‘A’ team Tests. I had a good season for Guyana and scored a century against Sri Lanka ‘A’ for West Indies ‘A’ and I am quite confident,” Johnson declared.
Although he has been to some Asian countries to play cricket like Sri Lanka, Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates he has never played in Indian conditions.
The Regional ‘A’ team will start off the series on September 15 when the first ODI will be played. The Caribbean team plays two more ODIs and a solitary T20 before rounding off the series with three Tests.
“I have never experienced conditions in India before but when I get there we have two practices sessions before the first match and I am confident I will adapt to their conditions as fast as I can,” Johnson, who has also played in Canada, New Zealand and England, informed.
With 2,041 runs from 42 First-Class matches including his only ton at this level (144) Jonson is aware that a successful series in India could see him making his Test debut soon but that pressure does not faze him.
“I know I have the opportunity to become Guyana’s next Test player if I can produce consistently with the bat, but that does not put extra pressure on me,” Johnson added.
Johnson has been selected for both the limited overs team and the Test side and Narsingh Deonarine, Assad Fudadin and Veersammy Permaul are the other Guyanese in the limited over team with Guyana pacer Ronsford Beaton joining the tour for the Tests.
Commenting on the series, Johnson said he expects the team to do well since several of the players including Captain Kurt Edwards and Vice-Captain Kieran Powell have been to India before and are familiar with the conditions there.
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