Lara Explains Edwards 'Shock' Pick

(In association with Stephanie's Hotel)

GROS ISLET, St Lucia - As West Indies continue their search for the right combination of bowlers, captain Brian Lara has revealed that fledgling Barbadian fast bowler Fidel Edwards, who has a solitary first-match under his belt, is their latest recruit. "I think young Fidel of course is going to be a surprise for the people of the Caribbean but I think our cricket afficionadoes would understand that he''s been around," Lara told stunned reporters at the Beausejour Cricket Ground here following the drawn rain-ruined first Test against Sri lanka.

While Lara disclosed that Edwards was not selected for his country in the 2003 Carib Beer Series because of injury, there were other factors, like Barbados fast-bowling riches which kept the younger brother of dropped West Indies left-arm pacer Pedro Collins from actually making the final eleven.

"Unfortunately, he didn't play first-class cricket this year for Barbados because of injury but reports coming out of there is that he is very well, that he is a good bowler and that he is back from injury," was how Lara put it.

However, whereas Edwards missed Barbados' first two matches because of slight back strain, the Barbadian selectors simply could find no room for him when he regained his fitness because of the presence of the elder Collins, Tino Best, Vasbert Drakes, Corey Collymore -- West Indies players and the reliable left-arm seam bowler Ian Bradshaw.

Edwards, who has won several admirers, including former West Indies batsman Carlisle Best, for his deceptive fast inswinging yorkers from a slinging round-arm action similar to former Australian pacer Jeff Thompson and Pakistani Waqar Younis, is among a host of young promising fast bowlers in Barbados.

The list includes Jason Bennett, who captured 30 wickets at a commedable average of 19.40 runs apiece for the West Indies Under-23 "B" team in the Carib Beer Series; and former West Indies Under-19 fast bowlers Ryan "Chicken Breast" Nurse and Ryan Best. There is also Antonio Thomas, who played in the first two matches for the Barbados team this season as well as national under-19 fast bowler Ruel Brathwaite, who is on a cricket scholarship in England.

"Right now, we are looking to find the right set of guys to take West Indies up in the future...we need to start getting 20 wickets in Test matches...We didn't do that consistently over the last year. That is what we looking for, the right combination," Lara confessed.

Lara noted that as a result of this search, some players would be given just a few matches but they would still be in the minds of the regional selectors.

"You would see guys getting one, two Test matches like Tino Best. It does not mean that they've gone to the wayside. It means that we are looking to find the right combination and these guys are going to be around and they are going to be talked about in selection meetings," Lara said.

"Fidel just falls into that fold. He's someone who we are going to be looking at (not only) over the next Test match but also over the next few weeks. There will be three and a half months off, not much cricket in between (the upcoming tours of Zimbabwe and South Africa) and we are trying to get guys in and around the team to have a good look at them," Lara said.

Lara, however was not prepared to reveal what qualities the 21-year-old Edwards, who has taken a solitary first-class wicket in one match, has as a fast bowler.

"I am not going to tell you exactly what he does with the ball, if he is a seamer or if he is a swing bowler. I think, come Friday, if he is in the final eleven, you are going to see that but there is team policy that we have where we don't really mention what guys are capable of doing with the cricket ball or bat," Lara said.

* This report is sponsored by Stephanie's Hotel, Gros Islet, St Lucia.