West Indies sever ties with Gibson

St. John's (Antigua), Aug 20 (IANS/CMC) Ottis Gibson’s tenure as head coach of the West Indies cricket team has ended and team manager and former captain Richie Richardson will take interim charge for the ODI series against Bangladesh slated to start Wednesday.

In a statement released late Tuesday night, the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB), ending speculations over Gibson’s future with the regional side, said both parties ‘mutually agreed’ to terminate their association with immediate effect, reports CMC.

Richardson, has been asked to take charge of the team on an interim basis for the series against Bangladesh starting in Grenada.

“Today the West Indies Cricket Board and Mr. Ottis Gibson mutually agreed to terminate their association with immediate effect,” said the short four line statement.

“The WICB wishes to express its gratitude to Mr. Gibson for his unwavering commitment and professionalism during his tenure as the Coach of the West Indies team”.

Gibson became West Indies coach in early 2010, replacing John Dyson, after serving as England's bowling coach.

West Indies have shown recent improvements under Gibson by winning the World Twenty20 in Sri Lanka. However the poor performances that have followed including losing the recent series in the Caribbean to New Zealand have triggered fresh speculation over his future as head coach of WICB.

“On behalf of the Board and West Indies cricket as a whole we express our gratitude to Ottis for his work, particularly in coaching the team to winning the ICC World Twenty20 in 2012, and offer our best wishes to him in all his future endeavours,” the release quoted WICB chief executive officer Michael Muirhead as saying.

West Indies play Bangladesh at the Grenada national stadium Wednesday in the first of three One-Day International matches. The two sides are also due to play two Test matches and one T20 fixture.

--IANS/CMC