GEORGETOWN, Guyana, (CMC) – Guyana Jaguars captain Leon Johnson has slammed his side’s batting as “woeful” following their 235-run defeat to leaders Barbados Pride last weekend.

The hosts were rolled over for a historic low 55 in their first innings and 94 in their second innings as they slumped to a heavy defeat – their third of the season early on the third day at the Guyana National Stadium.

“[It was] not the best of performance with the bat,” Johnson lamented to the Guyana Times.

“We were not able to put up 100 in either of the innings, so it was a woeful showing with the bat. You must give credit to Jason (Holder) and Kemar (Roach) for the way they bowled, especially in the first innings.

“Having said that, I think our bowlers did a good job bowling out Barbados for 174 and 206. We just let ourselves down with the ball, and in the field, where we put down about four catches in the game.”

Jaguars’ highest score in the game was an unbeaten 36 from all-rounder Keemo Paul in the second innings, coming when the number eight counter-attacked with the game already lost.

Overall, the season has been a poor one batting-wise for the five-time reigning champions, with just two batsmen – Johnson and Chris Barnwell – managing centuries.

Both those hundreds came in the same match against Windward Islands Volcanoes in the fifth round in Grenada.

Johnson, his side’s leading scorer this season with 472 runs at an average of 36, conceded Jaguars’ batting had not lived up to expectations.

“We had set our goal to score a century a game. We got a couple of half-centuries this season, and the conversion has not been great,” Johnson said.

Jaguars batting form has cost them dearly this season. Starting the campaign as five-time reigning champions and the only side to win the first class title since the start of the professional era, Jaguars have slumped to third in the standings on 91.8 points, virtually ruling them out of the title race.

Barbados Pride top the standings on 134.8 points, with the championship now suspended for the next 30 days because of the coronavirus pandemic.