Gibson swaps England pace attack for Windies
Ottis Gibson has been appointed as West Indies head coach
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Tuesday, 02, Feb 2010 03:26
By inthenews.co.uk staff.
England fast bowling coach Ottis Gibson is quitting his post to become head coach of the West Indies, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has announced.
Reports in the Caribbean had linked Gibson with the position vacated by John Dyson's departure.
The ECB confirmed in a statement that it had agreed to release the 40-year-old from his contract and would immediately begin the search for his successor.
"We are extremely grateful to Ottis for his hard work as England fast bowling coach," said Hugh Morris, managing director of England Cricket.
"Since becoming the full time England fast bowling coach in 2007 he has contributed so much to the success of the team and was an integral part of the Ashes-winning backroom staff last summer."
England team director Andy Flower said the entire coaching setup would be sorry to see Gibson leave.
"However we recognise that being offered the chance to be head coach of your country was an offer that would be hard for Ottis to resist," he said. "We wish him well in the future."
Gibson himself added: "I will always be grateful to the ECB for the opportunities they gave me as a bowling coach and in particular to Peter Moores for offering the role as England fast bowling coach.
"I would like to thank Andy Flower as well for all the advice, encouragement and support he has given me in the last year. It was a privilege to be a part of such an outstanding and successful team."
Gibson has overseen the England pace attack since 2007, when he took over from temporary consultant Allan Donald who had joined after predecessor Kevin Shine left for Australia.
West Indies Cricket Board chief executive Ernest Hilaire earlier confirmed the move to a Caribbean radio station, saying: "He will be the head coach of the WICB, not just head coach of the senior team.
"He will have responsibility for coaching right across all of our representative cricket teams. This will give him an opportunity to stamp a particular style of coaching, a West Indies way, across all the teams."
Barbados-born Gibson made two Test appearances for his native West Indies between 1995 and 1999 and played in 15 one-day internationals.
However, his greatest claim to fame came in the county championship when he took all ten wickets in an innings for Durham against Hampshire in July 2007 - shortly before taking up international coaching.