Southampton, England – Ottis Gibson said he was confident West Indies could win their series of three One-day Internationals against England, which opens on Saturday here.
Windies coach Ottis Gibson. Photo courtesy of Brooks La Touche Photography and WindiesCricket.com
The Windies coach said the arrival of reinforcements to the squad, which included the return of Chris Gayle, meant the visitors had their best chance of success on their tour of United Kingdom.
West Indies on Thursday continued their preparations for the ODI series at the match venue, the well-appointed Ageas Bowl, where the first ODI will be contested.
With the weather much kinder, the players had a full outdoor net session and also had the option of personal time in the indoor centre.
“With all the new players arriving, plus the way we have played all summer, when we have fought and did not achieve much in the way of winning, we believe we have got a real chance to win not just a game, but this series,” he said.
“We have a very strong team on paper, but it is about going out and executing. We will be planning well over the next couple of days for England and looking to do the right things and try to win this series. This will be a good series for us and a test of where we are in ODIs.”
Gibson said West Indies had an abundance of resources, particularly in the batting with a number of explosive players.
But he said finding the right balance to the side, and from the players will inevitably determine the outcome of the series.
“We want players that are going to win, whether they are six-hitters or not, but everybody has got a role to play,” he said.
“It is about finding the right balance, the right mix of players…It’s all about putting it together on the day and we have seen instance of players when shot selection becomes a problem when they have so many.
“But we are looking forward to the series and expect it to be quite competitive. Our fans that have travelled to the Tests with us and watching us get beaten are all eager to see how we will do in this ODI series.”
Gibson welcomed the return of Gayle following the settlement of the talismanic opener’s dispute with the West Indies Cricket Board.
“He has always been a bit of a prankster around the dressing room and he is being his normal self,” said Gibson.
“The team has always integrated guys very well. That has not changed. He has fitted in well and he is raring to go.”
Gibson added: “He has had his say. He said what he wanted to say and got things off his chest.
“He has seen the new environment. He has seen what we are trying to do. I am sure that coming back he will buy into it. We have spoken, and he is very much on board with what is going on.”