Fielding key to Jaguars’ success

—Says Rayon Griffith

Guyana Jaguars Manager, Rayon Griffith
Guyana Jaguars Manager, Rayon Griffith

Guyana Jaguars last weekend recorded their 15th straight match without defeat in the West Indies Championships and the team’s manager, Rayon `Gummy’ Griffith believes improved fielding performances played a key part in the success.

After their eight-wicket win against Windward Islands Volcanoes at Providence Sunday, Griffith said: “Fielding wise, I think this is one of the best fielding performances for us, we had most of our chances taken, only one went down.”

The slip department has been impenetrable with Trevon Griffith and Leon Johnson taking seven spectacular catches in the cordon but the fielding performance was headlined by Anthony Bramble who has shown he is one of the better wicketkeepers in the Caribbean, taking a total of 18 dismissals for the defending champions, six of which came in the last match.

Anthony Bramble has scored two centuries, more than any player in the West Indies four-day championships after four rounds.

Bramble has also been at his belligerent best in the batting department, striking at 109 in his knock of 168, his second ton of the tournament.

He is currently second on the run getters list having batted four less innings than Kirk Edwards who has only 17 runs more than the Guyanese.

Griffith added that the batting has also been exceptional with two batsmen, Tagenarine Chanderpaul and Bramble scoring centuries as well as the lower order coming in with useful cameos. “I am satisfied with the two batters scoring centuries and Tage [Chanderpaul] batting for a maximum period of time, even someone from the lower order like Shephy [Romario Shepherd] going out and contributing a valuable 72.” Griffith said.

He stated that the bowling performance has also been on point for most of the match, adding that he was impressed by Shepherd’s speed, Keemo Paul’s control and Veerasammy Permaul’s ability to bowl for long periods.

“We did a wonderful job by getting all 20 wickets…Paul, who played in his first game was very excellent in terms of getting wickets, Permaul didn’t get a lot of wickets but has done the hard work for the team in terms of bowling a lot of overs,” Griffith stated.