Gibson blow for Durham
THE blow for which Durham had been bracing themselves since the end of the cricket season arrived yesterday with Ottis Gibson's appointment as England's fast bowling coach.
Durham's player of the year, who won the same accolade from the Professional Cricketers' Association, officially hung up his boots on hearing he had landed the full-time post.
His appointment follows his impressive work during England's one-day series win in Sri Lanka.
''I'd like to thank the ECB for the opportunity to join the England team as well as Durham for the support they've shown me throughout 2007," said the 38-year-old Barbadian, who has made England his home for the last nine years.
"I thoroughly enjoyed my time with Durham and wish them all the best for the future,'' he added.
Gibson helped England's bowlers dominate during the surprise 3-2 series win in Sri Lanka, their first major series win on the sub-continent for 20 years.
Durham had hoped he would return for another season after claiming 80 championship wickets last season, 11 more than the previous county record. Mushtaq Ahmed was the only bowler in the country with more wickets.
Durham will now hope that their highly-rated crop of young bowlers will kick on after learning from Gibson this year.
Even if Steve Harmison retains his Test place, they can still call on Liam Plunkett, Graham Onions and Mark Davies, while Gibson is a big fan of another academy product, Luke Evans.
England have acted quickly to tie down Gibson ahead of the West Indies selecting their new coach.
''I am delighted to be a part of the England team in a full-time capacity,'' said Gibson, who took up coaching in 2001. He was the England and Wales Cricket Board's national coach for the North West for two years and for the last four has been involved in the fast bowling programme at the National Academy.
Prior to joining Durham for the 2006 season he was interviewed for the England bowling job when it was handed to Kevin Shine, who has been moved sideways since Peter Moores became head coach.
''I've thoroughly enjoyed working with the team over the past few weeks in Sri Lanka," said Gibson.
''After working with both the senior England bowlers and several younger England bowlers, I feel I'm well equipped to take up the position as fast bowling coach.
''With the future looking so bright for England's bowling stocks, I'm extremely excited by the prospect of working alongside Kevin Shine with such a talented group of bowlers in both the Test and one-day arenas.
Hugh Morris, the recently-appointed Managing Director of England Cricket, added: ''The appointment of Ottis as England bowling coach is the culmination of several years' hard work with England's elite bowlers across a number of levels.
''The contribution Ottis has made to the ECB Fast Bowling Programme has been outstanding and this has been supported by his work with the England ODI squad in Sri Lanka.''
Moores wanted a highly-qualified bowling coach by his side and has long been an admirer of Gibson.
Former South African fast bowler Allan Donald worked with England for most of the summer, but has accepted the chance to return to Warwickshire to work as part of Ashley Giles' staff.
Once Donald had rejected England, Gibson was always favourite for the post providing Moores could persuade him his set-up was more attractive than another year at Durham or returning to his native West Indies.
3:07am Monday 15th October 2007
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