Success makes a happy dressing room... ‘We want to go all the way this time and we ready for a fight’says Griffith

Success makes a happy dressing room… ‘We want to go all the way this time and we ready for a fight’says Griffith

Oct 27, 2018 Sports

Jaguars’ Manager Rayon Griffith was high in praise for Skipper Johnson.

By Sean Devers
Guyana Jaguars, on Thursday night, led by brilliant 101 from Skipper Leon Johnson got past Jamaica in a thrilling one-wicket win with just a ball to spare to book a spot in their 17th Regional 50-over final since this format was introduced in 1976.
The Jaguars will play CCC in tomorrow’s final after UWI team upset the star-studded Red Force; sending them crashing to their second lowest total yesterday at the Kensington Oval.
But since 2005 when Guyana beat Barbados at Bourda they have not won a title and tomorrow will be their third appearance in a final since then.
In the previous two occasions that they have reached the final they were beaten by Trinidad in Port-of- Spain (2009 & 2015) but Manager and Assistant Coach of the Jaguars Rayon Griffith says his charges intends to go all the way this time.
“Our approach in the final is not going to change from how we have played throughout this tournament. The players will be willing to go out there and play confident, positive and enjoyable cricket. History might be against us but we see it as just another game and we will be ready for a fight and bring home our first title in a long time,” promised the 39-year-old Griffith.
Griffith, who played his last 50-over in the game that gave Guyana its last title 13-years ago at Bourda, disclosed that the mood in the Jaguars camp is a happy one.
“It has been that way since the beginning of the tournament and we want to continue that happy dressing room and make everybody comfortable to be bold and brave and express themselves. That the players are getting in good performances makes it easier for us to enjoy each other’s success,” explained Griffith who played 22 in this format.
Since 2005, Guyana has reached the semis 11 times but has only won those encounters twice. When asked how he felt to qualify on this occasion, Griffith said he was very happy.
“I am very happy! We reached the semi-final in the last tournament but we didn’t pass that hurdle but this time we done have so. So it’s only one more step to the title and we want to finish well,” added Griffith.
Johnson was run out for 99 in the last tournament earlier this year, in this tournament was dismissed three times in the 30s before finally reaching his maiden century at this level.
“Leon’s hundred was a magnificent one I think he is a very good captain and very good leader and he led from the front so it’s good when your captain can do well, it boosts the confidence of the other players,” Griffith said.
“We have been playing good cricket throughout this tournament. Even in the first game when we went down to the Red Force we did not bat well in that game but came back to score 200 even thought we did not bat as we should have.
But in the other games we showed that we did not depend on one or two or three batsmen to do the scoring. We had five batsmen making runs at different times so that’s a good thing in any team,” the confident Jaguars Manager disclosed.