'Players support outspoken Gayle' - Gibson
Ottis Gibson has said the West Indies players backed Chris Gayle's criticism of Sulieman Benn after the left-arm spinner was ordered off the field for disobeying his captain during the fourth ODI in Dominica
Cricinfo staff
02-Jun-2010
"We met and the guys think that probably it is time that things come out and maybe it would lead to betterment," says Ottis Gibson • Getty Images
Ottis Gibson, the West Indies coach, has said the West Indies players backed Chris Gayle's criticism of Sulieman Benn after the left-arm spinner was ordered off the field for disobeying his captain during the fourth ODI in Dominica. Benn was subsequently fined his entire match fee but was picked in the squad for the final ODI against South Africa on Thursday.
"The skipper is his own man and he has spoken out. Normally he is a very quiet person but his frustration is causing him to come out and the players understand this," Gibson told reporters in Trinidad. "We met and the guys think that probably it is time that things come out and maybe it would lead to betterment. The skipper thought that he was not getting the support he needed from a player who was not giving 100 percent and he spoke out."
Benn was asked to bowl over the wicket by Gayle, but failed to follow the instruction. "He wasn't up for it and if you're not up for it, why give that particular bowler the ball," Gayle had said at a press conference after the game. "I just see it that he [Benn] doesn't want to take part. It was my call to actually ask him to leave and tell him that he is not needed anymore."
West Indies are 0-4 down in the series and are in dire need of a win ahead of the three-match Test series. Despite the run of losses, Gibson said the team had shown improvement and was training hard for the final game. "We have lost the two T20 matches and four One-Day Internationals and this makes it six losses. In five of these matches we were in a position to win and let it slip. We just can't seem to get over the final hurdle.
"Although the team is not winning, I have seen improvements and the players are working hard. Assistant coach David Williams says that this is the hardest he has seen the players work and we are hoping for better results soon.
"When I took this job, I didn't expect us to start beating people overnight. It is a process and once we put the right things in place, we will be getting there."