Johann Layne

For a while now, I have watched this young man from Barbados. At 21 years of age, he displays a maturity & willingness to learn that has been noted by his coaches. This season, he has made giant strides and with an increase in pace, to go with his very tall frame, has become a very difficult proposition for batsmen throughout the region. Consistent short of a length probing accuracy and difficult steep bounce, added to his pace, are his main strengths. The young man can also wield the willow too, making him a useful lower order contributor. He must surely be in the conversation for a place in the test squad against Australia. Perhaps, with the presence of the outstanding Jayden Seales, threatening Shamar Joseph and experience of Kemar Roach, he does not make the team but for the not too distant future, he could well become the next West Indian fast bowler to make the step up. He looks like a faster version of Jason Holder, which for a batsman, is a nightmare. With the lower delivery point and style of the other West Indies quicks, Layne would bring another dimension to the attack and an all together different challenge, even on placid pitches. Of all the up & coming pace bowlers throughout the region, he stands tall (literally) and must be carefully handled going forward.

Statistical view:

Johann Layne, Barbados (age 21)

Career Bowling (First Class)

17 matches, 63 wickets @ 20 (strike rate 36) including four 5 wicket hauls and a best of 6/30 against Windwards at Coolidge.

Career Batting (First Class)

28 innings, 433 runs @ 18 (strike rate 86) including a pair of 50s with a best of 63.


Regional 2025 Current Season:

Bowling: 6th on the list of leading wicket takers and the leading fast bowler with 27 wickets. Only Guyana's Ronaldo Alimohamed, the medium pacer, has matched his 27 scalps among the non-spinners this term. Layne's 27 wickets have come at a cost of just 15 apiece, with a strike rate of a wicket every 31 balls. He has taken wickets in clusters too, with a pair of 4 & 5 wicket hauls respectively.

In reply to 4REALQUICKS

Real nice post- good luck kid - keep it up

In reply to Chrissy

Thank you. I echo your wishes of good fortune for the young man.

Layne might threaten Alzarri's place in the Test squad real soon. He might be Roach's replacement and Phillip could be the other pacer pushed out of the touring squads.

Have also been keeping an eye on him this season (and actually the last few years)

What I like about him is that he takes genuine wickets, by that I mean the bowls aggressive short pitch deliveries and gets batsmen fending. He can also swing and seam the ball and gets wickets caught behind & in the slips etc.

He does also seem to have gained a bit of pace this season and as the season has progressed, he has become more more consistent and threatening. He has got good top order batsman out in a genuine way.

If fit I hope he is picked to play in the A series coming up against SA.

In reply to 4REALQUICKS

I think he has earned a place in the A team. Let him go there and work on his skills.
Joseph Joseph Seales Roach Phillips Mindley Holder are ahead of him.
We have lots of promising young quicks. Let them compete for A team places

In reply to Baje

Let the kid go, he dominated the series.

He should be in the barbados team next season

In reply to velo

I hope not

In reply to velo

yeah..let him get one poor match and Barbados drop he fuh de rest of the season like them do Chemar

In reply to 4REALQUICKS

Agreed re Layne who is an outstanding prospect. Definitely for the ATeam. The WI Academy is producing the goods.

In reply to analyst-kid

I think that Chemar got on a team where he could worked himself ba k after that serious injury. I hoping that he comes back stronger next season and leads a young attack of Simmonds, Forde, Layne, Smith and Prescod.

In reply to tc1

Hope you add Kyron King to that list.

In reply to voiceofreason

Does Keemo get a chance on the A team? I hope so. For me one of the better red ball bowlers in the region when he is injury free.

In reply to seaegg99

Definitely,I follow him since u13.

In reply to seaegg99

What can you tell us about Kyron King?

Good height, not as tall as Prescott but I think much faster. He is a more attacking bowler also. Usually opens the bowling with Smith. Like Layne, he will make you play the hook or pull shot. Something regional batsmen, out to sea, doing.

In reply to 4REALQUICKS

Kyron King (Wanderers) 8 112 16 552 17 3-7 32.47

barbadoscricket elite vision-3-day-championship-averages/

Thanks, will look out for him.