The Guyana Cricket Club (GCC) Friday evening inducted one of their own members, Guyana and West Indies Test player Leon Johnson into their prestigious Half of Fame following a cocktail ceremony held at the club’s pavilion.
Johnson, who made his Test debut a few weeks ago against Bangladesh scoring 66 and 41 in his two innings, was honored by his club after joining an elite panel of gentlemen the likes of Carl Hooper, Shiv Chanderpaul, Ramnaresh Sarwan, Kenny Wishart, Reon King, Neil McGarrell, Faoud Bacchus, Ivor Mendonca, Steven Camacho and others who have plied their trade at the Bourda ground before going on to represent the West Indies at the senior levels.
GCC President Lionel Jaikaran, in his speech, recalled a young Johnson running around the club under the watchful eye of then coach, Harold Dhanraj as he began his journey to become one of Guyana and the region’s top players. An emotional Jaikaran lauded the work ethic and humbleness of the 27-year-old, pointing out that it was this attitude as a youngster which has led to his current heights as a Guyanese and West Indies cricketer. Jaikaran told Johnson that when he goes out to represent his country and the West Indies in his upcoming tour to India, that “He will not be alone.”
Former GCC President Paul Chan-a-Sue said that Guyanese and eventual West Indies players over the years were made to work hard and explained that in order to be eligible for selection bowlers need to bowl and take wickets while batsmen need to score runs in order to stake their claim.
Speaking about Johnson, the former club president said that concentration and being able to adjust to the different pitches were the keys for his growth adding that the time has come for the left-hander to start pressing on once he has gotten to the half-century mark.
In his brief remarks, Johnson’s club mate and fellow national left-hander Vishaul `Cheesy’ Singh said that the hard work and dedication had finally paid off and that the call up to the West Indies team “Couldn’t happen to a better person.”
He urged his teammate who, according to him, has done the hard work of getting in the team to now work even harder on maintaining his place.
GCC Coach Monty Lynch said that he knew Johnson as a hard-working player and one who constantly urged the club’s younger cricketers and his senior teammates to dedicate their time and effort into their careers. He also cited the national skipper as a possible candidate for the West Indies captaincy in the future.
A confident Johnson then took to the podium and thanked all his well-wishers while instilling into the young players that they need to work hard and one day make the reality of playing at the highest level, theirs. He signed out with warms words to his club mates telling them that now he has made it so they have to try and do likewise.
Johnson is expected to depart early this morning for India.
