Pedro Collins - West Indies Fast Bowler

A left-arm rarity on the West Indian circuit, Pedrosignificantly better as he conceded 58 runs in his ten
Collins is a fringe West Indies Test player who beganovers without taking a wicket and couldn't contribute
his First Class career in 1997. As a left-arma run as the West Indies were bowled out for 117-to
fast-medium bowler with the ability to swing and cutlose by a whopping 138 runs.
the ball, Collins added variety to a mundane WestPedro Collins' inauspicious debut- in both forms of the
Indies bowling attack in the late 90s and early 21stgame-was remedied by later stellar performances. His
century.most memorable moment was in the West Indies'
Born in 1976, Collins started playing cricket when hishome series against India in 2001, where he claimed
native Barbados had a strong fast-bowling tradition.the prize wicket of star batsman Sachin Tendulkar on
Malcolm Marshall, Joel Garner and Sylvester Clarkethree occasions. Although he had seven 4-wicket
were some of the Barbadian fast bowling greatshauls and three 5-wicket hauls in Test matches,
playing in the 80s. Collins' half-brother, Fidel Edwards,Collins was essentially a support bowler for the
was also a regular member of the regional teamCaribbean side.
from the year 2003.The bane of Collins' career was that he didn't
As a genuine number 10 or 11 batsman, Pedro Collinspossess much variety. His stock delivery was the ball
was picked primarily for his bowling ability. He has theshaping away from the right-handed batsman from
distinction of being one of the few West Indianover the wicket. He was only able to move the ball
bowlers in the era of decline, to take over 100 Testeither way from batsmen later on in his career. Not
wickets. Collins reaped 106 Test wickets at a fairbeing able to mix his deliveries or be consistent
average of 34.63 from 32 matches (at the end ofenough, ultimately hindered Collins' ability to garner
2008). He had a decent return from his limited ODIbetter returns on the international stage.
career as well- taking 39 wickets from 30 matchesHaving spurned a return to the West Indies squad-in
with an economy rate of 4.61.favour of fulfilling his duties with English County side,
Collins made his Test debut against Australia atSurrey- it is unlikely that Pedro Collins will make a
Port-of-Spain in 1999. He took match figures of 3return to international cricket. Yet, he proved to be a
wickets for 118 runs in a debut made forgettable bygood support bowler when he had the chance.
the West Indies' batting collapse in the second innings.However, in an era where the West Indies lacked
Collins' ODI debut came later in the same yearquality in every department, Collins could and should
against Pakistan in Sharjah. His first ODI was nothave been much more.