FIDEL EDWARDS' withdrawal from the West Indies team for the forthcoming One- Day NatWest Series in England with a strained hamstring has prompted captain Brian Lara to recommend that young fast bowlers be chosen only for one form of the game or the other. Writing in his column in yesterday's Trinidad Guardian, Lara said he was worried by "the spate of injuries" to the West Indies' "young and talented" fast bowlers.
"Being in the dressing room, I have first-hand knowledge of all the young fast bowlers who seek help for injury management," he wrote. "Personally, I would look at their work load and maybe a good formula to keep them fit would be to allow them to play one version of the game (Test or One-Day International) that suits their style at this present time," he added. He noted that the 22-year-old Edwards, made his Test debut against Sri Lanka a year ago mainly on his insistence. "I must express how worried I am about the spate of injuries to the young and very talented ones. Fidel Edwards continuously finds himself on the physio table, and now has been sidelined for at least five times in his brief career," Lara wrote.
"He would now have an opportunity, not only to recover from this injury, but also his side-strain and shin splints that have plagued him for some time," Lara added.
He argued that the "constant pounding" bowlers with small physiques, such as Edwards, go through to generate speeds of 90 miles an hour and upwards, accentuated injury. Edwards has been replaced in the squad for the NatWest Series by another 22-year-old fast bowler, Jermaine Lawson, who has only recently returned after recovering from a back strain and a period of remedial work on his action.
The West Indies team head to England on Saturday for a triangular One-Day Series with England and New Zealand to start on June 16 ahead of the four-Test series against England which starts at Lord's on July 22. (Barbados Nation)