The Independent Voice of West Indies Cricket
After the sensational and successful Test debut for fledgling West Indies'' fast bowler Fidel Edwards, his Barbadian coach Wendell Coppin is warning cricket purists not to tinker with the slinging, unconventional action of his young charge.
Presently celebrating 75 years of Test cricket, a celebration, by the way, that has been, disappointingly, as lackluster as a damp squib, the West Indies opposed Sri Lanka in the 1st of a two-Test series, at the new Beausejour Stadium, situated in the Windward Island of St. Lucia, and adjacent to the world famous yachting port of Rodney Bay. This venue became the 8th Test venue in the Caribbean, and the 88th around the world.
el Edwards was named in the West Indies final eleven for the second Test against Sri Lanka in Jamaica.
Edwards, the 21-year-old pacer from Barbados, will take the place of Merv Dillon. With the bowling lacking bite in the first Test, the selectors also recalled Vasbert Drakes and dropped opener Daren Ganga.
CASTRIES, St Lucia ? West Indies chief selector Sir Viv Richards has stoutly defended his panel's decision to name relatively unknown Barbadian fast bowler Fidel Edwards in the West Indies squad for the second Test against Sri Lanka starting in Jamaica on Friday.
Noting team selection is all about instincts, Richards pleaded with Caribbean cricket fans to trust the judgement of his fellow selectors, Joey Carew, Gordon Greenidge and West Indies captain Brian Lara.
The rain may have spoiled the first Test in St Lucia but the West Indies came out of that encounter with what can be deemed a moral victory.
After the Sri Lankan batsman, led by Marvan Attapattu, threatened to run away with the game, captain Brian Lara teamed up with the likes of Wavell Hinds and Omari Banks to show that the Caribbean side can certainly be competitive against the best teams in the world. Here are my grades of the performance of the West Indians...