Pulling double responsibility: An admirer of former Australia keeper-bat Adam Gilchrist, Edwards is adept with the gloves and averages virtually 41 with the bat in ODIs. | Photo credit score: Getty Images
Stepping up: Edwards was the Player of the Match in the beautiful World Cup upset win over South Africa. He top-scored with 78 not out and held three catches behind the stumps. | Photo credit score: Getty Images
Listening to Scott Edwards communicate on a pleasing October evening on the lawns of the Netherlands Residency, thought-about by some as the most lovely home in Delhi the place Muhammad Ali Jinnah as soon as lived, you’re reminded of Ellyse Perry.
Instead of speaking about her nice exploits, starting from scoring in the soccer World Cup to powering Australia’s profitable campaigns in a number of cricket World Cups, Perry would moderately discuss teammates who might have made smaller contributions in matches she dominated.
Though raised in Australia — he grew up in Melbourne and performed for Richmond — Edwards additionally has a Dutch passport, by way of his grandmother. Like Perry, he would a lot moderately discuss his teammates than his personal performances, one of which, a couple of fortnight in the past, took the Netherlands cricket staff to its best second.
Leading from the entrance
After strolling in at 82 for 5, in opposition to a South African aspect that had received its earlier matches by 102 runs and 134 runs, the captain led from the entrance, making an unbeaten 78 off 69 balls. The subsequent highest rating in the complete of 245 for eight in 43 overs — the rain claimed the relaxation — was 29, made by Roelof van der Merwe.
But Edwards underplays his contribution, as a substitute talking at size about van der Merwe’s 19-ball cameo and Aryan Dutt’s nine-ball 23. “It is obviously nice to play a part but I actually thought what Roela and Aryan did was amazing,” he tells The Hindu at the celebration the Netherlands Ambassador Marisa Gerards hosted for the cricketers. “Sometimes, it is easy to play the sort of anchor role. You obviously need guys to come in around you. And Roelof was striking at over 150 and Aryan more than 200. Aryan is a strong man and definitely someone to watch out for.”
Edwards additionally doesn’t wish to discuss his three back-to-back half centuries in ODIs in opposition to England final yr, or the 39-ball 137 not out in the European Cricket League ultimate that set a T10 world document. “I don’t take too much from individual success,” he explains. “I don’t think it means a whole lot, to be honest.”
He is glad to speak about what the Netherlands has achieved, a lot in opposition to the odds, in worldwide cricket, although. He is proud of the means the staff has fared over the final yr or so. His aspect shocked South Africa at the T20 World Cup in Adelaide final yr, performed some superb cricket in the Qualifier in Zimbabwe to return to the ODI World Cup after a niche of 12 years, and, of course, surprised South Africa in a single of the largest upsets in World Cup historical past.
World Cup expectations
“Coming into the tournament, we had high expectations, and to meet those expectations, we have to beat good teams,” he says. “So the win against South Africa is a great result for us, but we came here wanting to do more.”
He is disenchanted that the staff couldn’t win in opposition to Sri Lanka regardless of posting a aggressive rating after surviving one more collapse. “We should have bowled better,” he says. “I think 262 was definitely a good enough score on that wicket as there was enough for the bowlers. We had them two down in the Powerplay, probably leaked a few too many runs there, but we were still confident. We just didn’t bowl and field to the standards that we like to.”
The Netherlands had actually achieved that in opposition to South Africa, whose batting appears nearly as good as any aspect’s in the match. Edwards is glad that the victory has helped cricket acquire some consideration in the Netherlands.
“I think we have just got to continue to play good games of cricket and win games, and the media attention definitely brings a little bit of a spotlight in the Netherlands, where traditionally cricket is a small sport,” he says. “So it’s always nice to get that extra publicity and attention around the sport. It doesn’t happen every day, but we were noticed during the last T20 World Cup and then the [World Cup] Qualifier in Zimbabwe.”
He is extra eloquent than typical when he talks about that unforgettable sport in opposition to the West Indies in the Qualifier. Shai Hope’s males had made 374, however the Netherlands tied that rating (No, he doesn’t point out his 67 off 47 balls). In the Super Over, Logan van Beek scored 30 and claimed each the West Indies wickets.
“The one thing I remember most is that thinking we sort of have to qualify now [by winning more matches], or this game will just become, you know, just a random ODI win that means nothing,” he says. “We had guys like Teja [Nidamanuru] and Logan doing things like that and standing up in such a big game. People probably tend to forget what Teja [111 off 76 balls] did. It was one of the best innings I have seen in ODIs, and, in the last year, he’s had a massive hundred against Zimbabwe when we were probably down and out.”
Proactive captain
Edwards averages near 41 after 43 ODIs, with 14 fifties. He has all the time been a ’keeper-batter who admires Adam Gilchrist. And he is a wonderful captain, who tries to make issues occur moderately than ready for them to occur. In the win in opposition to South Africa, his captaincy stood out, be it the bowling modifications or the area placements. And they labored most of the time.
He enjoys captaincy. Is it one thing that he all the time wished to do? Or did he simply get the job and begin engaged on it?
“A little bit of both,” he says. “I like the leadership side of it. I loved being vice-captain, actually; I was one for a couple of years. Becoming captain is an honour, too. A lot more media and work behind the scenes. And I love working with our coach Ryan Cook.”
Edwards’ teammate Max O’Dowd charges him as one of the finest captains he has labored with. “He’s very selfless and embodies what the team culture is all about, you know, selflessness, unity and all those kinds of things,” says the opener, who has had the digicam lenses targeted on him in the area as a result of of the sheet of paper in his pocket containing methods about matchups. “He does such an amazing job of getting the best out of every player and he wants us all to succeed. That’s why I think he’s a very good captain.”
