Edwards impresses as Super50 approaches

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, CMC – Discarded West Indies batsman, Kirk Edwards, captured the attention of selectors with a cameo knock while all-rounder Kevin Stoute reiterated his case with an excellent half-century, in the first Barbados Pride trial match ahead of this month’s Regional Super50 here Wednesday.Out-of-favour West Indies and Barbados Pride player, Kirk Edwards.

Kirk Edwards

The right-handed Edwards slammed an entertaining 42 at the top of the order as the Shamarh Brooks XI went down by 28 runs to Stoute’s XI in the 50-overs game at the North Stars Grounds, in the northern parish of St Lucy.

Chasing 254 for victory, Brooks’s XI were giving a rousing start by Edwards who belted four fours and three sixes in a 24-ball innings.

He put on a hasty 43 for the second wicket with Aaron Jones who top-scored with a patient 44 off 71 balls. West Indies off-spinner Ashley Nurse struck 27 from 24 balls while Brooks got a run-a-ball 21.

Test left-arm spinner Jomel Warrican picked up three for 36 from eight overs.

Edwards’s career has gone into a tailspin since poor form saw him axed from the West Indies colours and then also overlooked by all six franchises for the Regional four-day championship which bowled off last November.

The 32-year-old represented Jamaica Scorpions last season, garnering 346 runs at an average of 23 with three half-centuries but was not retained.

He played 17 Tests scoring 986 runs an average of 31 but has not been seen internationally in two years.

Stoute had earlier taken centre stage with 81 off 89 balls while Ryan Wiggins struck 72 from 95 as they pushed their side up to 253 for eight.

The innings was in trouble at 34 for three in the ninth over before the pair added 135 for the fourth wicket to consolidate. Fit-again Test seamer Kemar Roach claimed two for 26 while former Young West Indies left-armer Preston McSween ended with three for 60.