The West Indies Have Arrived!

Coach Ottis Gibson looks ahead to Ageas Bowl ODI

Last week the West Indies team for the up-coming tour of England arrived in the UK ready to take on an England side fresh from a 4-0 One Day International Series victory over Pakistan in the UAE. Their visit will include a Test Series and T20 International, as well as an ODI Series which begins at The Ageas Bowl on Saturday 16 June.

It will be the first time the two teams have met in a 50-over Series on English turf since the hosts completed a comprehensive 2-0 victory over their Caribbean visitors in 2009. And current West Indies coach Ottis Gibson is under no illusions that this year’s Series will be no easier.

“If we play to our potential we will create opportunities to win and it will be a good contest. If we don’t it will be a very tough tour. It’s a challenge I think our guys will accept and embrace; you can see that from the spirit in the team.”

Indeed, although the Caribbean side has lost recent Test series against India and Australia (both 2-0) they have recently improved in One-Day cricket, drawing a five-match series against the Aussies 2-2.

“We have made some improvements; little improvements, but improvements nonetheless, so it’s one we are looking forward to. We like to believe we can become competitive, as we have done in India and against Australia, and winning certainly is never out of our minds. We know it’s going to be difficult, but we are going to try and win as much as possible.

“The One-Day series might present us with the best opportunity to win.”

Gibson, himself, made his international debut in an ODI against England, and his spells playing in the County Championship will mean he is no stranger to English conditions.

And although the Limited-Overs squads have yet to be announced, Gibson hints that that might have a few other familiar faces to the South Coast crowd.

Kieran Pollard and Dwayne Bravo – two players who won’t have happy memories of The Ageas Bowl aren’t in the Test squad, but were mentioned as being possible for the One-Day matches. Both performed, for Somerset and Essex respectively, at Twenty20 Finals Day at the ground in 2010, the former having to retire hurt  after being hit by a Dominic Cork bouncer to the head, the latter perishing in the Semi-Finals to the Royals, having been the most expensive bowler and only scoring five with the bat.

One bonus for the tourists is the announcement made on Thursday that Chris Gayle – himself signed by Somerset as a replacement for Pollard – has given up his Friends Life t20 contract with the county in order to make himself available for this series.

In a statement, the National side’s former captain [pictured, left, with Darren Sammy (r)] said; "I have written to Somerset CC and advised them that I will not be honouring the commitment I made to them when I signed a contract with them for the 2012 [Friends Life t20]. I made it clear to them that my decision was made because of my commitment to West Indies cricket and to West Indies cricket fans…"

"So that there is no doubt, I confirmed to the selectors that I was available for West Indies duty in all forms of cricket… I look forward to once again putting on the maroon, and resuming my international career and my service to West Indies cricket."

Gayle has not played for West Indies since the 2011 World Cup, but has done extremely well in the Indian Premier League. He is third highest run-scorer in the competition at time of writing with knocks of 81, 87, 86 and 71 already under his belt.

And speaking before the announcement, Gibson appeared to suggest he would not stand in the way of Gayle’s return; “The whole Chris Gayle saga has gone on too long for my liking. I’ve sort of kept out of it for the last eight months or so and I intend to do so until somebody calls me and tells me that Chris is available.

“If Chris is available then, of course, he is someone who can add something to our team but I will wait to hear from the hierarchy what the situation is.”

Whoever turns up, and whatever happens between now and the 16 June, the West Indies will always be one of the game’s great entertainers.  Make sure you get your ticket to come and see The West Indies take on England at The Ageas Bowl on 16 June.

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