Fidel Edwards

Fidel Henderson Edwards (born 6 February 1982) is a Barbadian cricketer, who plays all formats of the game. A pace bowler, his round-arm action is "not unlike" that of former fast bowler Jeff Thomson.[1] He was spotted in the nets by Brian Lara and was called up for his Test debut against Sri Lanka after just one match for Barbados.

Fidel Edwards
Fidel Edwards, in England (2011)
Personal information
Full nameFidel Henderson Edwards
Born (1982-02-06) 6 February 1982
St Peter, Barbados
NicknameCastro
Height5 ft 5 in (1.65 m)
BattingRight-handed
BowlingRight arm fast
RoleBowler
RelationsPedro Collins (half-brother)
International information
National side
Test debut (cap 253)27 June 2003 v Sri Lanka
Last Test21 November 2012 v Bangladesh
ODI debut (cap 119)29 November 2003 v Zimbabwe
Last ODI26 May 2009 v England
T20I debut (cap 19)11 September 2007 v South Africa
Last T20I29 September 2012 v Sri Lanka
Domestic team information
YearsTeam
2002–2015Barbados
2009–2010Deccan Chargers
2011–2012Sydney Thunder
2012Dolphins
2013Rangpur Riders
2013Rajasthan Royals
2013–2014Trinidad and Tobago Red Steel
2015–2019Hampshire (squad no. 20)
2015St Lucia Zouks
2015Sylhet Super Stars
2019→ Birmingham Bears (loan)
Career statistics
Competition Test ODI FC LA
Matches 55 50 138 92
Runs scored 394 73 789 138
Batting average 6.56 9.12 6.80 8.62
100s/50s 0/0 0/0 0/0 0/0
Top score 30 13 40 21*
Balls bowled 9,602 2,138 21,530 4,131
Wickets 165 60 455 120
Bowling average 37.87 30.20 30.22 30.04
5 wickets in innings 12 2 27 3
10 wickets in match 0 0 2 0
Best bowling 7/87 6/22 7/87 6/22
Catches/stumpings 10/– 4/– 26/– 11/–
Source: ESPNcricinfo, 30 September 2019

Despite a promising start to his Test career, he has been injury prone and inconsistent. With an average of just under 40 in Test cricket, he has struggled to fulfil his early potential.

He is the half brother of Pedro Collins.

Domestic and T20 franchise career

The experienced campaigner who also plays in the Bangladesh Premier League was bought by Rajasthan Royals in players auction for IPL 2013 for US $210,000. On 6 February 2009 the IPL franchise of Deccan Chargers bought Edwards for $150,000. His club team in Barbados is YMPC.[2]

Edwards was bought for $60,000 by Khulna Royal Bengals to play in the newly formed Bangladesh Premier League to be held in February 2012.[3][4]

Edwards made his first-class debut on 1 February 2002, playing for Barbados against the Windward Islands. In the first innings he opened the bowling with Tino Best; he had to wait until the second to take his only wicket in the match, that of Junior Murray.[5] The Barbados squad had plenty of fast bowlers, with the likes of Best, Pedro Collins, Corey Collymore, Vasbert Drakes, and Ian Bradshaw, who all had international experience by mid-2003.

On 3 June 2018, he was selected to play for the Winnipeg Hawks in the players' draft for the inaugural edition of the Global T20 Canada tournament.[6][7] He was the leading wicket-taker in the tournament for the Winnipeg Hawks, with eleven dismissals in six matches.[8] In July 2020, he was named in the Jamaica Tallawahs squad for the 2020 Caribbean Premier League.[9][10]

International career

Impressive debuts

Strong competition and injury meant Edwards struggled for selection. However, the selectors had monitored his development and in May that year Edwards impressed batsman Brian Lara while bowling in the nets. On the basis of the potential he showed, Edwards was included for the West Indies Test against Sri Lanka the following month.[11][12] Edwards made his Test debut against Sri Lanka at Kingston, Jamaica, making 5 not out and returning with bowling figures of 5/36 and 1/54 in a winning West Indian effort.[13] In his second first-class match,[14] he produced the third-best bowling figures by a West Indies player on debut.[15]

In One Day Internationals, his debut was against Zimbabwe at Harare, taking career-best figures of 6/22 off 7 overs; as of January 2015, he is the only player to have taken 6 wickets on their ODI debut and he is only the second player after Tony Dodemaide to have taken 5 wicket hauls in both his test and ODI debuts.[16]

Injuries

During the tour he picked up an injury to his shins, which Edwards felt badly affected his bowling in South Africa. In four Tests against South Africa, he managed eight wickets while conceding 648 runs.[17]

In the June 2009 ICC World Twenty20, Edwards suffered a back injury.[18] He suffered a recurrence of the injury when he played for the Deccan Chargers in the Indian Premier League in October of that year. Consequently, his central contract was not renewed and Edwards later underwent back surgery.[19]

Comeback
Fidel Edwards bowling against Australia, during 2009 ICC World Twenty20 tournament

In the 2010/11 West Indian cricket season, Edwards made his comeback from injury, taking 22 wickets from 6 matches for Barbados at a cost of 23.77 runs. Having proved his fitness, Edwards was called into the West Indies squad for the first Test against Pakistan in May 2011, almost two years after he was sidelined with a back injury.[20] Though included in the squad, he had to wait until India toured in June before returning to the side. Though he was apprehensive ahead of the first Test, he troubled the Indian batsmen and took four wickets.[21]

In March 2012 the West Indies Cricket Board announced that while Edwards was considered whenever Test and T20I teams were selected, he was overlooked in ODIs to manage his workload;[22] he has not played an ODI since 2009.

Edwards last played a One Day International in 2009, and the West Indies Cricket Board manages his workload to avoid further injuring him. A back injury incurred during the 2009 ICC World Twenty20 prevented Edwards from playing international cricket until 2011.

Playing style

Discussing his round-arm bowling action in 2004, Edwards remarked "I never copied anyone, its just natural. People feel it's a very difficult action but its like riding a bicycle. And the main advantage I get bowling in that fashion is I can swing the ball more, especially the old one. Yes, at times the swing is too wide and a few more extras are added, but I am coping with that."[17] His bowling speed is around the late 80s and early 90s mph. His fastest was clocked at 157.7 km/h in 2003.[23]

While his statistics attest to him being a genuine tailender, Edwards has helped save the West Indies three Test matches during his career, forming frustrating last wicket partnerships. The first instance came against Zimbabwe at Harare in 2003, where he hung in for 33 balls to deny the African nation a rare victory.[24] In 2006, Edwards remained at the crease for 36 balls at the Antigua Recreation Ground, with India unable to claim the final wicket,[25] while in 2009 he prevented England from a win at the same ground by remaining unbeaten on five after 26 deliveries.[26]

See also

References
  1. "Fidel Edwards". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 18 April 2012.
  2. "MPC rewards Barbados under-15 cricketers". Caribbean Sports Network. 26 March 2010. Archived from the original on 6 October 2011. Retrieved 5 July 2011.
  3. Engineer, Tariq (28 December 2011). "Bangladesh Premier League to begin on February 9". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 18 April 2012.
  4. "Bangladesh Premier League: players standing after auction" (PDF). ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 18 April 2012.
  5. "f46351 Barbados v Windward Islands: Busta Cup 2001/02". CricketArchive. Retrieved 11 May 2012.
  6. "Global T20 Canada: Complete Squads". SportsKeeda. Retrieved 4 June 2018.
  7. "Global T20 Canada League – Full Squads announced". CricTracker. Retrieved 4 June 2018.
  8. "Global T20 Canada 2018, Winnipeg Hawks: Batting and Bowling Averages". ESPN Cricinfo. Retrieved 16 July 2018.
  9. "Nabi, Lamichhane, Dunk earn big in CPL 2020 draft". ESPN Cricinfo. Retrieved 6 July 2020.
  10. "Teams Selected for Hero CPL 2020". Cricket West Indies. Retrieved 6 July 2020.
  11. "Fidel Edwards included in second Test squad". ESPNcricinfo. 25 June 2003. Retrieved 11 May 2012.
  12. "Richards defends inclusion of Edwards". ESPNcricinfo. 27 June 2003. Retrieved 11 May 2012.
  13. "2nd Test: West Indies v Sri Lanka at Kingston, June 27–29, 2003". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 13 December 2011.
  14. "Fidel Edwards enjoys fairytale debut". ESPNcricinfo. 27 June 2003. Retrieved 11 May 2012.
  15. "Edwards delivers third-best WI performance on debut". ESPNcricinfo. 28 June 2003. Retrieved 11 May 2012.
  16. "West Indies tour of Zimbabwe, 4th ODI: Zimbabwe v West Indies at Harare, Nov 29, 2003". ESPN Cricinfo. Retrieved 17 January 2015.
  17. Gollapudi, Nagraj (3 March 2004). "Fidel rides the bicycle". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 11 May 2012.
  18. Miller, Andrew (18 June 2009). "Edwards likely to miss semi-final". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 28 May 2012.
  19. "We can't afford to rush Edwards – Gibson". ESPNcricinfo. 8 April 2010. Retrieved 28 May 2012.
  20. "Fit again, Fidel Edwards ready for comeback". ESPNcricinfo. 9 May 2011. Retrieved 18 April 2012.
  21. Veera, Sriram (20 June 2011). "'We'll look to get at least 400' – Edwards". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 18 April 2012.
  22. "Tino Best recalled for Australia ODIs". ESPNcricinfo. 6 March 2012. Retrieved 7 March 2012.
  23. TOP 10 Fastest Bowlers in Current Cricket
  24. "Zimbabwe v West Indies 2003/04". CricketArchive.
  25. "West Indies v India 2006". CricketArchive.
  26. "West Indies v England 2008/09". CricketArchive.
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