Winchester (England), April 30 (IANS): West Indies pacer Fidel Edwards will join English county side Hampshire earlier than planned after the withdrawal of Australian strike bowler Jackson Bird.

Edwards was set to link up with the club in late July but will now be available for selection for Hampshire’s Twenty20 friendly against Dorset this Monday. The Barbadian pacer, who last played for West Indies in 2012, is replacing Bird whose shoulder injury is worse than expected, reports CMC.

Reports say Bird is on his way home from England after being forced to pull out of his contract with Hampshire because of a bulging disc in his neck.

The 33-year-old Edwards, who played in 55 Tests and 70 limited-overs internationals for the Windies, will be available in all formats.

In one of his finest international performances he took 6/92 in the May 2012 Test against England at Lord’s. In March this year, Edwards blew away the Nottinghamshire top and middle order to finish with figures of 8/40 during a friendly for the Combined Campuses and Colleges.