Head Coach pleased with Jaguars’ performance but concerned with conversion rate

Mar 22, 2017 Sports

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By Sean Devers in Trinidad 

In association with Cascadia Hotel,
Vnet Communications & Stag Beer

Head Coach of the Guyana Jaguars, former Guyana pacer Esaun Crandon says he is pleased with his team’s performance in their emphatic 10-wicket win against T&T’s Red Force Monday to take them to 103.2 points, but the Berbician is a bit concerned with the conversion rate of his batsman with only Shiv Chanderpaul converting a 50 into a three-figure score.
“Yes! Defiantly, I am very pleased that we performed the way we performed as a team. We played very consistent and individual cricket in the last two matches,” the 35-year-old Crandon said.
The Head Coach, who took 90 wickets from 38 First-Class matches, was also impressed by the batting of Assad Fudadin, who scored a responsible half-century in his first match in this year’s tournament after replacing the injured Tagenarine Chanderpaul for this game.
He was also pleased by the performance of the new players in the side; Romero Shepherd and Kemo Paul.
“Fudadin played a very good innings in his first match back at this level, but he could have gone on to get a big score. I am a bit concerned that only Shiv (twice) has converted good starts into hundreds. Everyone of the batsmen have scored half centuries but only Shiv, the oldest and most experienced batsman in the side has reached a hundred and that is disappointing,” Crandon said.
“Shepherd is young and not only has he bowled well but I was also impressed by his maturity during his fifty here in only his second game. I am also pleased with the fighting attitude shown by young Kemo Paul. This was his first First-Class game. He hurt his hand but insisted that he wanted to bat and he played in an important 50-run last wicket stand with Shepherd before

he was left not out,” an upbeat Crandon stated.
Crandon was also very impressed with the bowling of left-arm spinner Veerasammy Permaul who took nine wickets against the Red Force including seven in the second innings to take the Man-of-the-Match award.
“Permaul was outstanding with the ball as usual and will be badly missed in Barbados for our next match since he has been selected for the West Indies t20 team,” disclosed Crandon.
The bowlers need to be more consistent in line and lengths …Permaul bowled tight and took wickets…but overall the bowlers need to bowl more maidens to build pressure,” said Crandon.
While Crandon said the fielding has improved from the Regional Super50 and is not too bad he wants his charges to work a bit harder on their ground fielding.
“(Devendra) Bishoo did not bowl well in this game but we all know his capabilities and what he can do. I am confident that he will step up in Barbados especially since Permaul will not be there and he will be expected to do more work with the ball,” revealed Crandon.
“Remember that our fastest and best bowler is out with a knee injury and will be badly missed but his absence gives another young fast bowler an opportunity,” added Crandon, Guyana’s most successful First-Class Coach, speaking of West Indies ‘A’ team pacer Keon Joseph who has 24 wickets this season including 7-53 against Jamaica.
Joseph has been replaced by fellow Berbician Clinton Pestano who arrived here last Saturday.

Crandon confirmed Shiv Chanderpaul will play in Barbados after missing this game to travel to the USA for personal reasons and was high in praise for the Captaincy of Leon Johnson.
“While Leon is going through a bit of a tough time with the bat I believe that one big score will put him back on track. There is no questioning his ability and he has another six possible innings to be among the leading scorers in this tournament,” Crandon opined.
The last time Guyana lost a game was six games ago when they lost to the Leewards in St Kitts in the first half of the season and Johnson has joined Clive Lloyd, Roger Harper and Carl Hooper as Guyana Captains with two titles and the only Skipper to win back-to-back titles.
Guyana are three matches away from winning a hat-trick of titles and Crandon was high in praise of his Captain.
“Leon continues to lead the team very well and a tremendous knowledge of the game, his players and the players around the Region. Leon is a very intelligent leader and to my mind the best Captain in the Region,” Crandon concluded.
Team spirit is very high and the young guns have settled in nicely and confidence in the camp seems high going into Thursday’s game in Barbados.
Most of the players celebrated their victory with a ‘lime’ at their Hotel on Monday night, organised by former Berbice all-rounder Luke Latiff and his Trinidadian wife. The Jaguars departed for Barbados yesterday.

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