Ottis Gibson

Ottis Delroy Gibson (born 16 March 1969) is a cricket coach and former player from Barbados. A pace bowler and exploiter of the older cricket ball for the West Indies, Gibson is now the temporary bowling coach for the England cricket team.^[2] From 2010-2014, Gibson was the head coach for the West Indies,^[3] and previously worked as permanent bowling coach for England until 2010.^[4]

International career

Gibson made two Test appearances for the West Indies. In his first outing against England in 1995, he picked up the wickets of Alec Stewart and Darren Gough in the first innings, finishing with figures of 2-81, but was less successful in the second with 0-51. With the bat he made 29 and 14, as the West Indies slumped to a 72-run defeat.^[5]

His second appearance came in 1999 against South Africa. He took the wicket of Jacques Kallis in the first innings to end with 1-92, but in the second innings, again finished with 0-51. He made his highest Test score of 37 during his first knock, and made 13 before being run out in his second. South Africa eventually won by 149 runs.^[6]

Gibson was seen primarily as a one-day specialist - "his hard-hitting late middle-order batting was particularly effective in the closing overs of the innings."^[7] He played in 15 One Day Internationals, top scoring with 52 against Australia and taking best figures of 5-42 against Sri Lanka. He took another 5 wicket haul against the same opposition and two four-fors, finishing with an impressive bowling average of 18.26.^[8]

Cricketing career

Gibson's county cricket career saw him play for Glamorgan before taking up coaching with the ECB after a series of niggling injuries. However, he returned to playing with Leicestershire in 2004. In 2006, he moved to Durham. As well as playing for three South African provincial sides, Gibson has also made appearances for Staffordshire.^[9]

Durham career

Gibson signed a two year contract with Durham in 2006. In his first season, he picked up 48 wickets and recorded a highest first-class score of 155, to keep his side in the division.^[10]

On 22 July 2007, he took 10/47 against Hampshire, becoming the 79th bowler in first-class cricket to take 10 wickets in an innings and the first in the County Championship since Richard Johnson in 1994:

Hampshire finished 115 all out, and Gibson walked away with astonishing figures of 17.3-1-47-10. Despite this feat, the match ended in a draw.^[11]

Later in 2007, Gibson bowled Durham to victory, again against Hampshire, in the Friends Provident Trophy. After setting 312 to win, with Gibson smashing fifteen off just seven balls, the Dynamos bowled out the Hawks for just 187. Gibson had Michael Lumb and Sean Ervine caught by Michael Di Venuto first and second ball of the innings respectively, both for 0. He then had Kevin Pietersen out lbw for 12 to leave Hampshire 17-3, finishing with figures of 3-24. He picked up the Player of the Match award for his efforts.^[12] Gibson remarked after the game, "Unbelievable. But we've got four games left and if I'm going to get through them I'm going to have to cut down on the celebrations a little bit."^[13]

Coaching

On 20 September 2007 Gibson was appointed as England's bowling coach for the one-day series in Sri Lanka because Allan Donald had commentary duties in South Africa.^[14] He had previously worked with Peter Moores at the National Academy during the past two winters.^[15]

At the end of the one-day series in Sri Lanka, Gibson was appointed full-time as England's bowling coach, effectively ending his playing career.^[16]

On 30 January 2010 it was announced that Gibson would be leaving his England post to take up a new role head coach of the West Indies.^[4]

Six months after Ottis Gibson was summarily sacked by WICB president Dave Cameron, the position won't be filled until after the World Cup.^[17]

Gibson was reappointed England bowling coach for the upcoming West Indies tour on 26th March 2015.^[18]

References