Friends of Anthony Edwards, the former Devonshire Recreation Club fast bowler, have established an award for the top fast bowler for Somerset Cricket Club in Cup Match.

Representatives from Somerset attended a ceremony yesterday at Devonshire Recreation Club, where Malachi Jones was awarded the trophy.

Jones claimed four wickets for 20 runs as St George’s were dismissed for 89 in their first innings at Wellington Oval this summer. Somerset retained the trophy in a rain-affected draw.

Kamau Leverock also claimed four wickets and was the other bowler in contention for the award, but Jones had the superior average.

Edwards, nicknamed ‘Pacer’, died after a bike accident in February 2014, was an outstanding bowler for Devonshire Rec, Somerset and Bermuda.

He made his Cup Match debut in 1982 under captain John Tucker and went on to make nine appearances for Somerset. The trophy was presented to Jones by Edwards’s daughter, Michellae Edwards.

“I was pretty young when he was playing Cup Match and I wasn’t old enough to remember him playing,” she said. “It’s an honour that Devonshire Rec are going to continue his legacy.

“I know Malachi and I’m happy he’s the recipient of the trophy in honour of my dad. Donald Norford is a good friend and I want to thank him for allowing me to present the trophy on his behalf. It is nice to know that his memory will live on.”

Norford, who broke into the Devonshire Rec team along with Edwards, Anthony Amory and Paul Perinchief in 1979, remembers Edwards as an outstanding youngster. Together with Perinchief, they were also members of the Bermuda team that won the International Youth Tournament in Canada in 1979.

“When my good friend passed I was doing a lot of thinking, lot of reflecting because to me ‘Pacer’ was more than a team-mate,” Norford said. “He was a good friend.

“I remember us starting on this very field as 13, 14-year-olds playing in the junior team under [coach] McDonald ‘Bull’ Swan and then we broke into the first team together.

“He was opening the bowling with [Winston] ‘Coe’ Trott and I was opening the batting with [Gladstone] ‘Sad’ Brown, which was something we really treasured.

“When I approached the family about this, they were excited. This trophy will be for the best fast bowler for Somerset in Cup Match. Malachi’s dad Olin played with ‘Pacer’ in Cup Match and also for Bermuda.

“That will be Malachi’s trophy to keep and we will purchase a new one every year.”