Windies board wants coach Gibson to continue

Gros Islet (St. Lucia), Jan 26 (IANS/CMC): The West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) says Ottis Gibson will be offered a second contract as head coach of the West Indies team when his term expires in March.

The WICB says the decision to retain his services and team manager Richie Richardson was arrived at during a meeting of directors in St. Lucia last weekend.

However, Gibson, who travelled to Australia Wednesday with the West Indies squad for their five-match ODI series, has yet to accept the deal.

The former England bowling coach is reported to have outlined his position during a meeting with WICB directors in St. Lucia last weekend.

A statement from the WICB released after the meeting said that the contract renewal was “pending completion of negotiations which are expected to be concluded shortly”.

The WICB announcement follows reports that Gibson might have been eyeing the vacant post of director of cricket at Warwickshire after Ashley Giles left to take charge of England’s one-day side.

The WICB had expressed confidence that Gibson will remain in the job even in the face of reports that he was one of Warwickshire’s preferred candidates.

The WICB is reported to be impressed with Gibson’s work ethic and ability to promote unity in the West Indies team which, under his watch, secured the World Twenty20 title in Sri Lanka in October.