Ottis Gibson has decided to step down from his role of England’s bowling coach and agreed to take over the role of South Africa’s head coach, England and Wales Cricket Board announced on Wednesday.
The West Indian who took up the role for the second time in 2015 will leave the England team after the third Test against his native country and will join the Proteas. He will take the place of Russell Domingo whose contract was not renewed after the England series. Gibson will join the team in mid-September when they start preparing for the home series against Bangladesh. He was given a contract till the 2019 World Cup.
England’s director of Cricket Andrew Strauss in a press release said, “Ottis has been an integral part of the England team in his two stints as bowling coach. His experience, tactical awareness and understanding of bowling in all conditions have benefited our approach and have helped our bowling unit develop greatly across all formats of the game.”
“He is an ambitious man and when this opportunity presented itself, it was difficult for him to turn down. On behalf of the ECB, I would like to wish him every success in the next chapter of his career,” he further added.
“I have very pleasant memories of the contribution he made to Border cricket as a player. CSA is satisfied that the recruitment process was a thorough and rigorous one and that the new coach is best suited to the needs and interests of the national team, the interest of CSA, and the national interest,” said Chris Nenzani, the CSA president after welcoming Gibson.
#CSAnews It's OFFICIAL …. Ottis Gibson is the new @StandardBankZA Proteas coach … Read the full story here: https://t.co/VdkrY3ruc3 pic.twitter.com/8qrDB9Ssdq
— Proteas Men (@ProteasMenCSA) August 30, 2017
The 48-year-old West Indian was an all-rounder in his playing days and had represented West Indies in 2 test matches and 15 ODI’s taking 34 wickets in ODI’s.
