DERBY, England, CMC - After watching his Derbyshire team being ripped apart by Fidel Edwards on consecutive days, Dave Houghton is convinced that the young pacer will pose a genuine threat to England if he maintains his speed and rhythm for the West Indies in the npower Third Test starting Thursday in Manchester.
“England will have to look at Fidel very carefully,” said the Derbyshire coach in the wake of the 22-year-old pacer’s match haul of ten for 82 that ensured a crushing 315-run victory for the tourists on the last day of their three-day match at Derby on Saturday.
“When he’s fit, he’s their best bowler. He’s genuinely quick and will run in all day for you once he’s in the mood. He swings the ball in the conventional way and can also get it to reverse…he’s a very difficult customer.”
Edwards’ success at the County Ground did not surprise Houghton as the former Zimbabwe captain was working as a television commentator when the young Barbadian wrecked his former team in claiming six for 22 in his first One-Day International in Harare last November, the best figures ever by a bowler on debut in 33 years of the shorter version of the game.
For the bowler himself, his return to form is a welcome relief after struggling desperately in his first three matches of the tour where he picked up just one wicket and was dropped after the First Test at Lord’s.
“It feels great, after coming to England and having a couple of bad performances, to get some wickets here, especially my first ten-wicket haul,” said the elated Edwards just minutes after completing the impressive demolition job.
“I had some time to work on my bowling, to get back my stride, and it paid off in this game. I was also struggling to adapt in the English conditions and the extra work in the nets paid off for me.”
On this form, he seems certain to return for the Old Trafford Test, but is acutely aware that there is a vast difference between the quality of batsmen in the Derbyshire team and the England line-up.
“The opposition here wasn’t the toughest we’ve played against,” Edwards admitted.
“But wickets are wickets. I wanted to get back in the final eleven for the last two Tests. Time will tell if I can repeat this sort of performance in the big matches, but for the moment, I’m working on what I have right now.”