Edwards anticipates return to top action

CMC

Monday, January 10, 2011

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados (CMC) — Fidel Edwards believes he is fitter than at any other time in his playing career, and is looking forward to returning to serious action.

The 28-year-old Edwards is on the comeback trail, after he was sidelined with a worrying back injury since October 14, 2009, after he played for the Deccan Chargers against Trinidad & Tobago in a Champions League T20 match at Hyderabad in India.

"I was obviously disappointed to miss so many games last year, but maybe in a strange way the break has done me some good," said Edwards in a recent interview on the Indian website, Rediff.com.

"I played a lot of cricket in the years beforehand, and when you bowl over 90 miles per hour, day in and day out, the games can catch up with you.

"The Barbados physio and trainer Jacqui King, who has known me all my career, said this week she has never seen me in such good shape, so I'm excited about the cricket coming up."

Edwards continues on his comeback, when he plays in a Barbados four-day trial match, starting on Saturday at the rural St Catherine Club.

The West Indies fast bowler has been named in a 13-member squad that will be led by recent West Indies High Performance Centre captain Shamarh Brooks against a side led by West Indies A all-rounder Jason Holder.

"My big goal is to get back to where I was before my injury and lead the West Indies pace attack again in all three formats of the game," he said.

"I will wait and see what happens, but I am encouraged that in practice games since I have been back, I am feeling fresh, fit, and bowling quick, so the signs are good."

Edwards has played 43 Tests, 50 One-Day Internationals and 12 Twenty20 Internationals for West Indies.