New boy Edwards makes Test debut

KINGSTON: Fast bowling is expected to play a pivotal role in the second and final cricket Test between the West Indies and Sri Lanka starting today at Sabina Park. And the selection panel, headed by Sir Vivian Richards, have included 21-year-old Barbadian pacer Fidel Edwards in the final eleven in place of the inconsistent Mervyn Dillon while another Trinidadian Daren Ganga makes way for Bajan Vasbert Drakes in a four-pronged pace attack.

The brief, two-match series is level 0-0 following the rain-plagued match that ended in a draw in St Lucia on Tuesday. Batsmen dominated there on a placid pitch when play was possible. West Indies skipper Brian Lara cracked a memorable 209 to follow three-figure scores from left-handed mate Wavell Hinds and Sri Lankan opener Marvan Atapattu. But the pitch at Sabina Park showed a generous covering of grass, and both sides may boost their pace resources. West Indies coach Gus Logie admitted that it was a surface which should encourage the faster bowlers. “There is definitely more grass on the pitch than in any of the previous Tests this season and there seems to be some moisture as well,” said Logie, a former Test batsman of the 1980s. “Looking at it, the faster bowlers should enjoy bowling on it,” Logie added. “But they still have to bowl well and be backed up in the field.” “The pressure will be on both teams as it is one match which is going to decide the series,” Logie said.

The 42-year-old revealed that one of his squad’s team-building practices was getting players to come up with quotes to help with motivation. “We finished on a high with our victory over Australia in the final Test in Antigua and had the better of the first Test in this series,” he said. “So this match, we are using a quote which we got from Dillon: ‘When you’re ahead, stay ahead.”’ Edwards has not played first-class cricket this year and has represented Barbados just once, in 2002. But Lara was impressed with the bowler’s sessions in the nets with the West Indies team during preparations for the Test against Australia in Barbados last May. Dillon’s 123 wickets in 34 Tests are more than 100 more than any other West Indian bowler but was dropped due to inconsistent returns. Barbadian Corey Collymore celebrated his return, after four years, with a five-wicket haul in St Lucia. Rookie Jerome Taylor, recently turned 19, will get his second chance in front of his Jamaican home crowd.

Drakes, one of only three over-30s in the squad, was dropped for the first Test but presents another, more experienced, option. Also retained in the final eleven is 20-year-old off-spinner Omari Banks, who earned just seven expensive wickets in three Tests, but his lower order batting has been impressive. The Anguillan scored an unbeaten, even maiden half century in St Lucia. Sri Lanka is expected to play three pacers, with 24-year-old Dharshana Gamage favored for his debut ahead of fellow rookie fast bowlers, left-armer Thilan Thushara and Dinusha Fernando. Gamage played in the preceding series of three one-day internationals but has yet to appear at Test level. He is likely to take the place of Thilan Samaraweera, the all-rounder who scored just 11 in St Lucia.

Umpires: Darrell Hair (Australia), Russell Tiffin (Zimbabwe).
Match referee: Wasim Raja (Pakistan).
Team: WEST INDIES: Brian Lara (capt), Ramnaresh Sarwan (vice-capt), Chris Gayle, Wavell Hinds, Marlon Samuels, Ridley Jacobs, Omari Banks, Vasbert Drakes, Corey Collymore, Jerome Taylor, Fidel Edwards; 12th men - Daren Ganga, Mervyn Dillon, Devon Smith.