Fitness high on Gibson's agenda

CASTRIES, St Lucia (CMC) -- New Windies coach Ottis Gibson intends to take a fresh, hard look at fitness and injury in an attempt to address a problem that has dealt the regional squad serious blows in recent time.

Only earlier this month, several frontline West Indies players were ruled out of the One-Day tour Down Under, depleting the squad and proving to be a factor behind their 4-0 whitewash in the five-match series.

Pointing out that he believed players needed to see themselves as athletes, and not just cricketers, Gibson said physical fitness would be high on the agenda during his tenure.

"It's an exciting day for me to be sitting as head coach of West Indies cricket. The physical aspect of all sports determines whether an athlete will be successful or not. It is key as far as I'm concerned," Gibson said.

"What I intend to do is put systems in place where players are training constantly and are monitored. I have spoken at length with the board about the things I need to do and the help I'm going to need."

The former West Indies fast bowler said he would be part of the selection process and with the responsibility to prepare the team, would be there firsthand to oversee the fitness of players.

He also said he would be in contact with the medical personnel to discuss the basis for players' injuries so they could be addressed properly.

"Injuries happen. Certainly as far as fast bowling is concerned. What we have to do in the Caribbean is to find out the cause why these things are happening," said Gibson, who quit as England bowling coach to take up the new post.

"It could be a fitness issue, or even over-bowling. I'll need to sit and talk to the medical people about the injuries we're having and there needs to be a deeper analysis of what is happening."

He contended, however, that players had a huge responsibility to maintain their own fitness.

"When I played cricket it was my responsibility to stay as fit as I can to stay in the team," Gibson said.

"I did not want to play two games, miss one, and have to do a month's recovery and then come back again. Fitness was my responsibility and I wanted to make sure that I was always in condition to play cricket."

The 40-year-old, who played two Tests and 15 One-Day Internationals for West Indies, said he was aware that resources in the region would not be similar to those of the England and Wales Cricket Board, where there was vast technologies and monies that could have been spent on specific development goals.

He said the WICB had assured him of their fullest cooperation, however, in managing the injury situation.

Gibson's first assignment will be the One-Day series against Zimbabwe which bowls off Sunday in Trinidad and Tobago with a Twenty20 International.

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