Foo credits hard work for return to Jaguars

WICB Regional Super50….

 By Akeem Greene

The name Jonathan Foo is one which still comes to the tongue of many when they talk about Guyanese cricketers who took the region by storm with some exceptional performances.
Foo’s fame came seven years ago when he helped Guyana snatch victory in the nail-biting final of the inaugural Caribbean T20 against Barbados, hitting a 17-ball 42 under immense pressure.
Since that magnificent innings, instead of the player’s career catapulting to greater heights, it unfortunately took a downward curve after Guyana played in the Champions League T20 in South Africa the same year.
But now he is back in the national setup, gaining selection in the Guyana Jaguars 14-man squad for the January 24 to February 18 West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) Regional Super50 in Barbados and Antigua.
Speaking to Guyana Times Sport on Sunday the  all-rounder   revealed that “I’m happy to be back in the team, I have been working hard especially  in the three-day competition, been working hard on my batting  and I was expecting to be in the one-day team so I’m going to  keep working hard on my fitness”.
He added, “I think I’m fully matured now, I have not played for Guyana a while but I have a clue on what is going on with my batting and personal game”.
Foo, who was in the hiatus from local cricket  for some time, prior to last year, missed out the 50-over selection in 2016 but says his Albion Cricket Club teammates and manager are the ones who kept encouraging  him to continue playing the  gentleman’s  game.
“The guys at Albion such as [Veerasammy] Permaul, [Anthony] Bramble , [Devendra] Bishoo, [Gudakesh] Motie and manager Vemen Walter really  kept me going, I  was out from playing for Guyana for a while and I was really down so they keep encouraging  me to score runs as one day I will be playing again for Guyana”,   the 26 year-old revealed.
The former Guyana Under-19 player had a successful outing with Lower Corentyne in the Jaguars Franchise League 3-day where he scored 580 runs, inclusive of two centuries.

Commenting on his improvement in fitness and form in the three-day league he said, “actually I’m very pleased with my fitness, over the years I have been unfit and I’m really pleased with it now and in the three-day I started well, scoring two centuries but after that I got allot of 30s and 40s so I will learn from that and get better”.
The  hard hitting right-handed batsman who spent most of his 2015 playing One-day and T20 cricket in Hong Kong, had some troubles with the short-ball  in his senior career, says that he has gotten at playing the delivery.
“To me it is never a problem but it is when trying to score off these balls I’m getting out; I came back and  worked on it so I think I’m getting better”, the former West Indies A team player stated.
He further stated “I never saw myself just as a T20 batsman, I always saw myself as an all-round cricketer who can bat anywhere and play any role for the team”.
The  Berbician, who has played three List A games to date was a part of the victorious Jamaica Tallawahs in the 2016 Hero Caribbean Premier League (CPL) firmly believes that the team must jell together quickly, as  he will be doing his best to ensure  that Guyana breaks the 12 year title drought.
“I think it is very important for us to play as one and stick together as team; we should stick to the game plans and I want to play an important part in us winning the competition, so we have to be victorious and make Guyana proud”, the player expressed.
Foo, who also bowls handy off-spin could  be the additional firepower the  team  needs  in support of the likes  of wicketkeeper/batsman Anthony Bramble and all-rounders Christopher Barnwell and Raymon Reifer.