Saint Lucian excellence in the cricketing world continued on Thursday when Johnson Charles produced an innings of 65 runs for his DP World International League T20 team, the Sharjah Warriorz.
The commendable knock came in pursuit of a target of 162 runs set by the Abu Dhabi Knight Riders, led by former West Indies star off-spinner Sunil Narine. The Warriorz would eventually win the match by four wickets.
This is Charles’ second consecutive score of over 50 runs, following an innings of 71 against the Dubai Capitals on Tuesday. Similar to that first innings, Charles was utilised as a “supersub”, a tactic that has been fruitful for the Warriorz thus far.
These consistent performances highlight what is clearly a purple patch for the man from Millet in the tournament thus far. The knock included six fours and four sixes, with Charles showcasing shots all around the ground. His innovation has been a notable improvement in his game, demonstrating his willingness to adapt as his career moves toward its later stages.
It should also be noted that the Knight Riders certainly contributed to Charles’ exploits by missing several opportunities to dismiss the in-form batsman. Multiple missed run-out chances and a dropped catch by substitute fielder Michael Pepper – which seemed like a regulation opportunity – proved costly. Charles’ ability to capitalise on those chances was integral to his success.
The Sharjah Warriorz are now in third position and will hope to either improve or maintain this spot as the business end of the tournament approaches.
Well done Johnson.