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Coach Crandon happy with Guyana’s win against Jamaica
By Sean Devers in Jamaica in association with Western Union, John Fernandes Ltd & Payless Variety Store
Guyana Jaguars Head Coach Esaun Crandon is a happy man after his team’s convincing 105-run win 
in their fifth round West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) Regional First-Class Franchise encounter against Jamaica last Monday at Sabina Park, their first win against Jamaica since the 51-run win at Chedwin Park in 2006.
The victory was more pleasing for the 33-year-old Crandon, who took 16 wickets in seven First-Class matches against Jamaica, since he opened the bowling with Reon King in that game at Chedwin Park in 2006.
“Twice I came here as Coach without any success so this is my first win against Jamaica as Coach and Guyana only beat Jamaica once when I was playing so I must commend the guys for a job well done,” said the former Guyana pacer, who played seven times against Jamaica since doing so for the first time in the 2003 Carib Beer Four-Day semi-final at Albion.
“This was the first that I can remember that we used a four-prong pace attack
Coach Crandon (left) and members of his support staff, Rayon Griffith (2nd right) and Physio Paul Gomes (right) at Sabina Park in Jamaica.
and the fast bowlers bowled 34 overs before spin was used and they all bowled well, in fact the seamers on both sides bowled well on this pitch which I think was a good cricket pitch,” said Crandon, who was in charge of the team which was beaten by seven wickets at Sabina Park last year and failed to win a single game in last year’s tournament.
“We scored over 300 runs in our first innings and when you do that you always put yourself in a good position to press for a win. Getting a big score in the first innings is also important for batting points,” Crandon explained.
Guyana got six bonus points for getting to 300 runs before 110 overs and taking 10 wickets in Jamaica’s first innings in addition to the 12 they got for their outright win to take them to 75 points and maintain their top of table position.
Although the Jaguars are well placed to lift their seventh Regional First-Class title and first since 1998 with five matches to go including their next match on Friday against the Leewards who occupy the cellar position, Crandon says there is still improvements to be made.
“We are looking to work on improving all the time and are looking at the boxes that we have not ticked off as yet like our batsmen getting starts but not going on to really big scores. Also, while we dismissed Jamaica twice with almost two sessions to spare, we give them too many ‘four balls’ and we also need to do some work on our fielding,” Crandon pointed out.
“While our openers have not been at their best and our batsmen have not scored runs as a collective unit, everyone has stepped up when it mattered most to ensure that we got most of the highest totals in the competition,” said the right-arm pacer and left-handed batsman.
In 38 First-Class matches the Berbician scored one fifty and captured 90 wickets in a career that spanned a decade and ended with his last match against the Windwards in St Vincent in 2011 when he played in the same teams as current players, Rajendra Chandrika, Leon Johnson, Vishaul Singh, Veerasammy Permaul and Devendra Bishoo.
Now the Head Coach of a team including prolific Test batsman Shiv Chanderpaul, who has been playing at this level since he was a 16-year-old, Crandon is comfortable with his Job and says he is getting the full support of everyone.
“Shiv has been taking to the batsmen while (Assistant Coach/Manger) has been most helpful and would like to say that the addition to our squad of a physiotherapist (Paul Gomes) is going a long way in ensuring the guys remain injury free,” added Crandon.
Narsingh Deonarine and Devon Smith are the only batsmen with over 300 runs in the tournament, while left-arm spinner Permaul has the most wickets so far with 38 from five games.
Crandon informed that both Deonarine (flu) and Chandrika (Gastro) have recovered and will be available for Friday’s clash. The team left Jamaica yesterday and travelled to Trinidad en route to Antigua.
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