GROS ISLET, St Lucia, CMC – Ace fast bowler Fidel Edwards has been called up for West Indies’ two-match Twenty20 International series against Australia starting here next Tuesday.
Edwards, who has been playing in South Africa’s domestic T20 league, was yesterday named in a 14-man squad for the series.
Selectors said at the start of the series Edwards would only be considered for Tests and T20s, in keeping with the new policy of workload management.
International T20 stars Kieron Pollard and Dwayne Bravo will also suit up for the Windies for the first time in nearly two years, with Bravo serving as captain Darren Sammy’s deputy.
Audacious opener Johnson Charles, who played two T20Is against England last September, has kept his place as has fellow St Lucian and left-arm spinner Garey Mathurin.
“The squad includes a number of three-dimensional players who bring energy and dynamism,” chairman of selectors, Clyde Butts said.
“They can change gears as the game progresses and give us options as well. We have brought in Dwayne Smith, Krishmar Santokie, Garey Mathurin, Fidel Edwards and young Nkrumah Bonner, from the squad which contested the Digicel ODIs and we expect them to contribute.
“They have all played for the West Indies in T20s Internationals before and we are well aware of their capabilities.”
Selectors have also kept faith with the Jamaican pair of left-armer Krishmar Santokie and all-rounder Nkrumah Bonner, and big-hitting Barbados batsman Dwayne Smith.
Butts said the team represented the right blend to beat the Aussies and to also prepare for the World Twenty20 Championship in Sri Lanka this September.
“We have named a squad with a mixture of experience and youth and we believe they have the quality to defeat the Australians. We have seen some progress in the Digicel ODI Series and we expect that momentum to continue into the Digicel T20s,” said Butts.
“We also use these matches as part of our continued preparations for the ICC World T20 Championship in Sri Lanka in September. That tournament is not far away and we want to make sure we get ready for that event as well.”
West Indies will travel to Barbados for the second T20I next Friday at Kensington Oval.
SQUAD – Darren Sammy (captain), Dwayne Bravo (vice-captain), Carlton Baugh, Nkrumah Bonner, Darren Bravo, Johnson Charles, Fidel Edwards, Garey Mathurin, Sunil Narine, Kieron Pollard, Andre Russell, Marlon Samuels, Krishmar Santokie, Dwayne Smith.
