‘Board did the right thing in cancelling season’ says Barnwell

Mar 26, 2020 Sports

By Sean Devers

Thirty-three-year-old Guyana Jaguars batting all-rounder Christopher Barnwell has been his team’s most consistent batsman this season with 438 runs from 14 innings in eight matches with a highest score 107.

Chris Barnwell has been Guyana most consistent batsman this season.

The DCC right-hander has one century and two fifties and collected seven wickets with his right medium pace and only skipper Leon Johnson, who scored the Jaguars’ other ton this season, has more runs than Barnwell.
With the final two rounds and a possible four innings for the attacking Barnwell to bat the tournament has been cancelled by CWI due to the world-wide outbreak of the Corona Virus which so far has no cure.
Barnwell, who made his First-Class debut against the Leeward Islands in Nevis back in 2009, admitted he was disappointed that the season was halted at the time when he was in good form.
CWI confirmed that Barbados have been declared the 2020 Champions following a Board of Directors teleconference held yesterday afternoon.
CWI said it was acting upon the advice of its Medical Advisory Committee and a decision was made to cancel the last two rounds.
“Yeah I am disappointed but at the same time we have to be careful with this Virus because it’s very serious. I think the Board did the right thing by cancelling the season. Saving lives should always be the most important thing and asking people stay to at home and obeying sanitation instructions could save lives here,” disclosed Barnwell.
Barnwell credits his constancy over last two seasons in both formats, to a few key aspects of his game that have changed.
“I am fitter and more mature I just tried to keep it simple and be positive and it was just reward for the work I put in,” said Barnwell, who has played for the West Indies, Barbados Tridents, Guyana, Guyana Amazon Warriors, Royal Challengers Bangalore, St Lucia Zouks and West Indies A.
The entertaining stroke-player who seemed unfortunate to get a few ‘hard’ umpiring decisions this season, explained why he felt getting out when looking well set for a century.
This season the batsmen reached fifty or more on 15 occasions but only Barnwell and Johnson converted into three-figure scorers.
“I think I needed to be a little tighter but those things tend to happen when you are batting well and feeling good you tend to force a few shots and get out and it’s something I am aware of and work to correct going forward,” said Barnwell who has 2,406 runs with two tons and 12 fifties and 85 wickets with three five-wicket hauls and a best of 6-78 from 61 First-Class matches.
When asked if he still thinks he has a chance of being re-called for the West Indies in the T20 or ODI formats, Barnwell said, “Once you are playing at the Regional level you always have a chance. It’s just about the numbers and match winning performances.”
With no sporting activities to participate in and the County at a virtual stand-still due to the deadly Virus, Barnwell said there is not much to do.
“There is not much to do at the moment but fitness work set out by the trainer and hitting a few balls,” informed Barnwell who played six T20 Internationals for the West Indies between 2011 and 2013.
Barnwell revealed that, he his family and team mates are so far good.
“We frequently are in contact with each other to see how things are and to compare what we are doing with the programmes which were set up by our trainer Neil Barry and everyone is OK,” Barnwell concluded.