Cricket: Windies speed merchant ready to strike

Black Caps Daniel Vettori and Jamie How relax in the lead-up to tomorrow's ODI by doing the 'touristy thing' around Queenstown. Michael Thomas / Getty Images

Some players have an interesting anecdote about how they entered international cricket.

Fidel Edwards' must rate as one of the more spectacular.

Spotted by then captain Brian Lara as a practice bowler in Barbados during the 2003 Australian series, he made his test debut just weeks later and immediately set tongues wagging after taking a five wicket haul against Sri Lanka.

The boyish looking, softly spoken Edwards has been touted as the next world-beating fast bowler to originate from the Caribbean, but his demeanour belies the aggression usually associated with previous West Indian quicks who specialised in terrorising batsmen, and their helmets.

But his air can be deceiving.

He broke through Stephen Fleming's defences when he clanged a bouncer onto the skipper's head protector as the West Indies crumbled to a series opening loss in Wellington on Saturday, and in the closing stages produced some prodigious inswing with the old ball.

Fleming agreed Edwards could cause New Zealand some problems.

"He's going to be a handful this summer, which is good. He bowls at a lively pace and looks to have good effort. He still went for 60, but looks to be a good competitor."

Edwards' figures were hardly flattering -- one for 65 from 10 overs, but he also started the innings impressively testing the opening pair of Jamie How and Nathan Astle with his slinging, round-arm action clocking around 144km/h.

His top speed has been recorded at 157km/h.

Edward flashes a bright smile when asked if he enjoyed intimidating batsman.

"It's what fast bowlers do, but I would be more happy if I get them out," Edwards said yesterday before the second game of the five-match series here tomorrow.

He acknowledged he gave the Black Caps too much room and his accuracy was wayward in Wellington, but was confident he could send the ball through even quicker in Queenstown if the pitch offers some pace.

"I'm hoping to bowl faster in this game and get a lot more wickets as well.

"If the conditions suit me a bit more, and if the balls swings down here, hopefully I'll get more from the wicket."

With fellow pacemen Pedro Collins and Cory Collymore missing through injury, Edwards will be expected to spearhead the attack -- a line-up that has rarely threatened on the international scene with the West Indies slipping to 14 one-day losses from their past 16 matches.

Despite the pressure to perform, Edwards said he was confident he could grow into the role.

"I've been here for a couple of games and have a big responsibility, but hopefully I can live up to the task.

"My aim is to help the team to win and get more wickets," said Edwards, who cites the legendary Courtney Walsh, the first player to take 500 test wickets as his boyhood hero.

The admiration appears mutual as Edwards frequently chats to Walsh before most home matches.

Injury has restricted the 24-year-old to just seven one-day appearances, but he's taken 50 wickets in 20 tests.

He acknowledges his one-day game still needs developing, but with his body free of nagging niggles, he sees this New Zealand tour as an opportunity to take another step in his career.

Another interesting facet of his brief time in international cricket is his wicket-taking celebrations.

Edwards waves his hand in front of his face with fingers splayed, and it's something he's been doing since he donned the whites.

Although the revelry is public, Edwards keeps the reason behind the hand waving very private.

"That's a secret. I started doing it when I started taking wickets."

It could possibly signify the ball whizzing past the batsmen's face, or he's cooling down his fingers after delivering another thunderbolt.

Either way, New Zealand fans should expect to see more hand signals on this tour.

- NZPA