Regional 4-Day tournament: Captain Johnson delighted at deserving selection of Adams, Persaud and Imlach

By Brandon Corlette

Guyana Harpy Eagles captain Leon Johnson has said the players selected to represent Guyana at the upcoming Regional 4-Day tournament are all worthy of selection. He was speaking specifically on the selection of hardworking players Anthony Adams, Akshaya Persaud and Tevin Imlach.

Known for performing consistently at the local levels, the 28-year-old Adams is in good form, after some strong performances in the three trial matches.
Speaking about Adams, Johnson said: “Everyone in the squad played First-class cricket. Adams, being the least experienced, with one game, has been a consistent performer, whether it be club cricket, inter-county cricket, franchise cricket. He has been consistent for the past decade. He played inter-county at a very young age. I remember him getting me out at Anna Regina Ground about ten years ago. So, he has been very good and consistent, and he deserves an opportunity in the side. He got a five-wicket haul in the first trial match at Albion.”
Regarded as one of the fittest players in the Guyana set-up, Tevin Imlach scored a composed century in the trial match, and has been doing well behind the stumps.
“Imlach, a very talented player, had a couple of First-class games. He did decent in the last Super50 tournament that he played, and he has been in and around the squad. And he works very hard on his game, his fitness and things like that,” Johnson said on the Sean Devers Sports Watch.

Left-handed batsman Akshaya Persaud scored two solid half-centuries in the trial match. His runs came at a time when batsmen were struggling to accumulate runs, and Captain Johnson has described the 24-year-old player with the experience of two First-class matches as a hungry player.
“Another deserving player is Akshaya Persaud, who did pretty well in the trials. He scored two half-centuries when guys were struggling to get runs. He played pretty well. A lot of the guys are talented and work pretty hard on their game, and Akshaya is one of those guys. I think he has a hunger and desire to play for Guyana and play for West Indies. He trains very hard, so when these guys get selected, I am very pleased and happy for them, because I see the work they put in day in, day out.”

Speaking in general about the team, Johnson noted that every player in the 15-man squad deserves to be there.
“When teams are selected, you cannot please everybody, but from being in the midst of it, guys who have been selected…most, if not all, are fitting and worthy of their selection because of the work they put in and performance on the field,” Johnson said.
The Guyana Harpy Eagles will play Windward Islands Volcanoes from February 9-12, 2022; and Leeward Islands Hurricanes from February 16-19, 2022. Both matches will be played at Queen’s Park Oval in Trinidad.
The Guyana Harpy Eagles squad reads: Leon Johnson (Captain), Keemo Paul (Vice Captain), Chandrapaul Hemraj, Tagenarine Chanderpaul, Vishaul Singh, Askhaya Persaud, Anthony Bramble, Tevin Imlach, Veerasammy Permaul, Gudakesh Motie Nial Smith, Clinton Pestano, Shimron Hetmyer, Keon Joseph and Anthony Adams.
The reserves are: Kemol Savory, Junior Sinclair, Kevin Sinclair, Kevlon Anderson, Ronsford Beaton, Trevon Griffith and Demitri Cameron.