Edwards hits 126 as B'dos start strong

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados (CMC): Kirk Edwards drew on his rich vein of form to craft his second first-class hundred and lead Barbados' batting in the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) Regional Four-day Tournament first-class championship fixture against England Lions yesterday.

Edwards was undefeated on 126 as the Barbadians, choosing to bat on a hard, true Kensington Oval pitch, reached 276 for two in their first innings at the close on the opening day of their second-round match.

Barbados captain Ryan Hinds propped up the batting with an unbeaten 80 and teenaged opener Kraigg Brathwaite, a century-maker in the first round against Trinidad & Tobago, made 43.

The 26-year-old Edwards, one of three reserves for the West Indies' World Cup squad, reached his milestone from 233 balls, when he lofted left-arm spinner Danny Briggs over long off for his only six.

early setback

He and Hinds, whose 50 came from 108 balls with a single to mid-off off Maurice Chambers, have added 176 - unbroken - for the third wicket.

The Barbadians suffered an early setback when Dale Richards was caught behind off Liam Plunkett for five in the second over.

But Edwards came to the crease and knuckled down to carry Barbados to lunch on 89 for one in tandem with Brathwaite.

After the interval, the two Barbadians settled down and continued batting merrily until Brathwaite was deceived by a slower delivery from Jade Dernbach and gave a return catch.

Edwards reached his 50 from 120 balls, when he drove James Harris to cover for a single and for the remainder of the day it was all one-way traffic with Hinds joining him to grind the Lions' bowlers.

The match marks the return of West Indies fast bowler Fidel Edwards to top-level play. He replaces fellow fast bowler Tino Best, as the only change to the Barbados line-up, ending a 15-month spell on the sidelines recovering from career-threatening back injury, which required surgery.

SCOREBOARD

BARBADOS 1st Innings

D. Richards c wkpr Kieswetter b Plunkett 5

K. Brathwaite c and b Dernbach 43
K. Edwards not out 126
R. Hinds not out 80
Extras: (lb15, w6, nb1) 22
TOTAL: (2 wkts, 90 overs) 276

K. Hope, K. Stoute, S. Brooks, +S. Dowrich, J. Holder, F. Edwards, P. Collins to bat

Fall of wickets: 1-5, 2-100

Bowling: Dernbach 20-3-61-1 (nb2, w1); Plunkett 19-2-56-1; Chambers 16-2-53-0 (nb4);
Harris 18-3-48-0; Briggs 17-4-43-0

ENGLAND LIONS: A. Lyth, J. Adams, A. Gale,J. Hildreth, J. Taylor, +C. Kieswetter,
L. Plunkett, J. Harris, D. Briggs, J. Dernbach, M. Chambers

Toss: Barbados

Umpires: G. Brathwaite, G. Greaves

Match referee: M. Jones

Reserve umpire: R. Brathwaite.