HARARE, Zimbabwe (Reuters) - West Indies fast bowler Fidel Edwards deserved the record-breaking success he achieved in the fourth one-day international, yesterday, according to Zimbabwe captain Heath Streak.
Edwards, 22, bowled with pace and swing to take six for 22, the best ever figures returned by a one-day debutant.
The West Indies won the rain-affected match by 72 runs to square the series at 2-2.
``He swung the ball, he bowled with good pace, and he deserved his haul,'' Streak said.
Streak said West Indies' other trump cards on the day were opening batsmen Wavell Hinds, who scored 127 not out, and Chris Gayle, who hammered 51 off 34 balls.
Hinds and Gayle shared a partnership of 96 struck off 91 balls.
``It was fantastic batting,'' Streak said. ``We were on top for the first six overs, and then they changed their attitude.
``Wavell and Chris both batted superbly, with Wavell going through to the end and Chris playing some awesome shots.
``It really put us on the back foot, suddenly we couldn't attack as much.''
West Indies captain Brian Lara is confident his team will clinch the series by winning the final game today.
``Our performance in the first match (which West Indies won by 51 runs) was excellent, and it could only have been a mental weakness that made us fall short in the next two games (which Zimbabwe won by six wickets and 21 runs),'' Lara told reporters.
``It's lovely to see the way we performed today, and we've got a chance to come back and win the series tomorrow.''
Lara paid tribute to his match-winners.
``Fidel had an excellent game, as did Wavell Hinds and Chris Gayle,'' Lara said. ``For Fidel to come up so strong was excellent for us.''
Edwards said the conditions suited his bowling.
``The ball was swinging early, so I tried to bowl a fuller length to take wickets,'' Edwards told reporters. ``There was some bounce in the pitch which I tried to use, and it worked for me.''