Edwards banks on rhythm for Aussie series

Thursday, February 23, 2012

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados (CMC) — West Indies pacer Fidel Edwards is already turning his attention to Australia after an enterprising run against Trinidad and Tobago in the Regional Four-Day Championship last weekend.

The right-armer bowled with sustained pace and hostility to help Barbados pull off a five-wicket in on the final day of the contest at Kensington Oval on Sunday.

Edwards, who made a return to international cricket last year after a two-year injury break, says if he continued on his present course he would be successful against the touring Australians.

"My rhythm has been really good. I bowled well in the Caribbean T20 and felt I did a very good job for the team in the last match against T&T," said Edwards, who turned 30 two weeks ago," Edwards said.

"If everything stays that way I should be quite good when the Australians come to the Caribbean next month.

"We played very well against Trinidad & Tobago and I was happy to bowl the team to victory. I ended the match with the kind of returns I was looking for. Getting wickets is always good."

Edwards finished the match with figures of six for 70, claiming five for 64 in the first innings - his 15th five-wicket haul in first-class cricket to move to 249 career wickets.

He will form key part of the West Indies new ball attack against the Australians who will play three Tests, five One-Day Internationals and two Twenty20 Internationals in a tour running from March 16 to April 27.

West Indies will also travel to England in May and June and return to the Caribbean to host New Zealand immediately afterward.

Edwards, with 154 wickets from 51 Tests, said he was excited by the plethora of cricket ahead of him.

"I think I have to be a bit more accurate. My lines have to be a bit better," Edwards said.

"I still want to be able to bowl fast and create problems for the batsmen, but the more important thing is to make sure that I stay focused and make sure I'm ready for what will be a full year of international cricket."