by EZRA STUART

PACE AND SWING!

A fit and rejuvenated Fidel Edwards says he is ready and raring to unleash his slingshots at the English batsmen if he is selected to play in the upcoming four-match Test series which starts at Lord's next week Thursday.

"Not playing in the World Cup was a bit disappointing for me but it is good to be back. I've been working and training pretty hard over the last couple of weeks. I had a couple of club games in Trinidad recently, that went okay.

"I got some assistance with the ball swinging while I bowled pretty well in the few games that I played in the Carib Cup Series and the One-Day (KFC Cup) so I'm ready for the task," Edwards told NATIONSPORT in an exclusive interview before leaving for England with the West Indies team on Tuesday evening.

Pretty fit

"Right now, I am pretty fit. Probably the fittest I've been in a while and I am ready and raring to go. The pace is still there but it will probably be a bit of both. If I get the ball to swing with pace, that would be great but it depends on how the wickets are playing there (in England) first," added Edwards, who has captured 63 wickets in 25 matches at 44.30 runs apiece.

The 25-year-old Edwards burst onto the Test stage with a five-wicket haul on debut against Sri Lanka in 2003 but went off the boil in the last year, losing his place on the West Indies team.

But he said he has learnt from his early experiences as an international cricketer, especially on the last England tour when the Windies were white-washed 4-0.

Learnt from mistakes

"I've gone to England before. I can't say it was a successful tour for the West Indies or for me but hopefully this toss, I'm really up for it. I've learnt from mistakes and the things that I've done wrong in the past and what to do to correct them so I am really up for it this tour," Edwards said.

Edwards, a brother of left-arm swing bowler Pedro Collins, who surprisingly was not selected for the England tour, said he has been inspired by the World Cup success of Sri Lanka's fast bowler Lasith Malinga, who has a similar slinging round-arm style of bowling.

"For me, it is not about competing with him. It is just going out there and doing what I know best and what I know I have to do and perform for my team. It is not what Malinga does but what I do on the day," Edwards remarked.

"But watching him was great, especially when he got four wickets in four balls in the match against South Africa. It was great to see the way he bowls and hopefully as youngsters watching, this will be something new coming up with our actions and they will copy it and try to bowl like us," he said.

He also believes the Windies can perform creditably in England once the team apply the basics.

"I think we have a great chance now but it is going to be hard for us but once we can stick together now, play basic cricket and stick to the team's plans, we should come out on top," he said.

Edwards, whose relatively small size and bowling style have been linked to back and side strains which have restricted his appearances for the West Indies, said he has been working with a personal trainer, Shannon Prescod to build body strength.

Concentrate

"I have been injured consistently in the past but I've been training with Shannon. I do a lot of gym work, probably two or three times a week. She does a good job on me and I am hoping to get over being injured so regularly, just stay fit and concentrate on what I got to do.

"I would get Vasbert Drakes to come and do some sessions with me but I've been doing my training mainly in Trinidad and at my practice with my local club YMPC and that's it," he said.