KIRK EDWARDS will head for Sri Lanka tomorrow trying to achieve a mission that has eluded a few of his fellow Barbados batsmen in recent times – to stay in the West Indies team.
The 26-year-old Edwards is the sole newcomer in the Caribbean squad for a series of five One-Day Internationals and a Twenty20 International in the Asian country and he hopes his selection won’t be a short-term wonder.
“My goal is to go and play for West Indies, represent them with pride and look to win some games for the people in the Caribbean,” he told MIDWEEK SPORT yesterday.
“You want to get in and try to stay in. That’s your aim. When you play for a cricket team, you want to be a ‘set’ player in the team and a player who is known for doing well and winning games for the team. Staying in is definitely the first objective.”
During the past year and a half, three of Edwards’ Barbados batting colleagues – captain Ryan Hinds, Dwayne Smith and Dale Richards – have been recalled by the West Indies selectors but have not been able to retain their places.
The Clyde Butts-chaired panel appears to have lost faith in those and has turned to Edwards in the hope of finding a measure of stability.
While expressing delight at his selection, Edwards didn’t do a song and dance when he heard the news.
“I was cool about it. I was expecting it sooner or later. It means a lot. It was a dream from a child. It is a great feeling,” he said.
“I would attribute my selection to doing well for the [West Indies] ‘A’ team and having a decent one-day tournament in Jamaica.”
Since making his senior debut for Barbados in the 2007 Carib Beer Challenge final, the former Alexandra student has played 24 first-class matches and scored 1 463 runs -, including one century — at an average of 36.57.
Fairly reasonable
His record in limited-overs matches is also fairly reasonable – 813 runs in 33 matches at an average of 31.26 with a personal best of 147 as his solitary hundred.
In his recent outings with the West Indies ‘A’ team in series in England and at home against Pakistan ‘A’, Edwards also impressed the selectors in eight matches in which he passed 50 four times in an aggregate of 823 runs at an average of 38.45.
He attributes his success in recent seasons to more than one factor.
“I put it down to my will and determination and also doing well in Barbados and not being recognised,” Edwards said.
“I decided that I had to be more outstanding. Those things drive me. I realised that I had to step it up.”
His consistency over the past two seasons led to the West Indies Cricket Board awarding him a one-year developmental contract which is believed to the worth US$24 000.
“The contract from the WICB came to me as a bonus,” Edwards said.
“I was always concentrating hard and working on my cricket. I was glad that they were appreciative that I am an up-and-coming cricketer so they decided to invest in me. I give thanks for that.”
West Indies started the third and final Test against Sri Lanka today (last night East Caribbean time) after which they will engage their opponents in five One-Day Internationals on December 9, 11, 15, 17 and 19 before rounding off the tour with a Twenty20 International on December 21.
In addtion to Edwards, the other selectees travelling to Sri Lanka as part of the squad for the shorter matches are big-hitting Kieron Pollard, left-arm spinner Nikita Miller and pacer Ravi Rampaul. The quartet will take the places of Test vice-captain Brendan Nash, wicket-keeper Devon Thomas, off-spinner Shane Shillingford and fast bowler Nelon Pascal.
