Dellorn Johnson is SEARCHLIGHT’S choice

Left arm fast bowler Dellorn Edison Johnson is SEARCHLIGHT’s top Vincentian athlete for 2012.{{more}}

During the past 12 months, Johnson, 24, represented St Vincent and the Grenadines, the Windward Islands and West Indies A teams with some distinction.

On the local cricket scene, Johnson made limited appearances for his team, OLA Boutique Radcliffe, in the National Lotteries Authority Premier Division.

His returns showed that he snared 19 wickets at a cost of 9.32 apiece. With the bat, Johnson totalled 166 runs, batting in his team’s lower order — finishing with an average of 31.2. His highest score was 79.

His appearances for the Windwards were in the Caribbean T-20 competition, as well as the regional four-day competition.

Making his T-20 debut in Barbados in January, Johnson left his impression, as he established a regional record when he took 5 for 5 from 4 overs against Barbados in the third place play-off.

At the regional four-day competition, Johnson played in four matches — capturing 7 wickets for 179 runs, at an average of 25.57.

He also made his highest first-class score – 51, versus Guyana in Grenada.

But it was for the West Indies A team, the WICB president’s XI, in matches versus India, New Zealand and Australia that Johnson caused many to stop and take notice of him.

Johnson’s A team performance saw him snaring 20 wickets for 375 runs, at an average of 18.75 runs apiece.

His best bowling was his match-winning 6 for 34 against India A on at the Arnos Vale Playing Field.

Johnson’s consistent efforts saw the WICB inviting him to be part of the West Indies training camp in Barbados in September, ahead of the World T-20 tournament in Sri Lanka.

Johnson, a resident of Mount Grennan in the South Central Windward constituency, finished off the year representing St Vincent and the Grenadines in the Windward two-day tournament in Dominica.

His best efforts were his 5 for 36 against Dominica and his 3 for 13 versus St Lucia.

The bean pole Johnson, who stands at 6 feet 6 inches, plans to climb the next rung of a shortening ladder — the senior West Indies team . (RT)