Gros Islet, St Lucia – West Indies batsman Leon Johnson admitted he had been hesitant to ask for a review after he was given out for 66 on the opening day of the second Test against Bangladesh in St Lucia, and said the uncertainty cost him a chance to score a century on Test debut.
Johnson was given lbw off left-arm spinner Taijul Islam in the 53rd over of the West Indies innings. Replays suggested the ball would have missed leg stump but Johnson failed to ask for a review within the 15-second window and was ruled out by the umpire.
“I would have loved to have gone on and got a better score but I had a look at the replay and I was a bit too slow in calling for the review,” Johnson said. “I wasn’t very sure and my partner [Kirk Edwards] wasn’t very sure, either. I was a bit hesitant; I didn’t want to waste one of the team’s reviews. There was probably a hundred there for the taking, the pitch got better for batting. Next time, I’ll look to cash in.”
Picked as a replacement for Chris Gayle, who skipped the Test for personal reasons, Johnson opened the innings and was involved in a 143-run stand with Kraigg Brathwaite. Their partnership laid a strong platform for West Indies and the pair of Darren Bravo and Shivnarine Chanderpaul capitalised on it to guide the side to 246 for 3 at close of play.
Johnson, who has batted in the middle order for most of his career, said he had to adapt mentally to fit into the role of an opener, because the pitch had offered assistance to the Bangladesh bowlers in the first session.
“I started out probably a little slower, given that I was opening the batting,” he said. “There was a bit of assistance there for the seamers early on so I thought like an opener and gave the bowlers their hour and their session, and tried to cash in after lunch.
“I have opened in three first-class games before. I do it sometimes, opening in club cricket at home. It’s a whole different kettle of fish doing it in a Test match, though. As a batter, you have to be versatile. Sometimes, you may be asked to open the batting.”
Johnson made his ODI debut in August 2008, in a triangular series against Canada and Bermuda, and played three games before he was sidelined from the West Indies squad. He has, however, performed well for West Indies A over the last two seasons, scoring runs on the tour to India and a making first-class century against the visiting Sri Lanka A side last year.
Johnson said that despite the long gap he had spent out of the team, he had not given up on playing for West Indies: “I never had negative thoughts that I wouldn’t be involved again in West Indies cricket. I have been on the sideline for six years but I’ve been about the A team for about four years, now. Hard work has got me here, and self-belief.” (Cricinfo)
