ST. JOHN'S, Antigua: The West Indies Cricket Board has terminated its contract with coach Ottis Gibson and said team manager Richie Richardson will take charge of the West Indies on an interim basis.
The board said in a statement late Tuesday that it and Gibson, a former pace bowler for Barbados who played two tests for the West Indies, had "mutually agreed to terminate their association with immediate effect."
Gibson, a former England bowling coach, began as coach of the West Indies in February 2010. Since, the West Indies have won just nine of 29 tests and 36 of 90 one-day internationals.
Richardson, a former West Indies captain who played 86 tests, will lead the team for a three-match limited-overs international series against Bangladesh beginning Wednesday in St. George's, Grenada
Gibson became West Indies coach in early 2010, replacing Ottis Gibson out as West Indies cricket coach, after serving as England's bowling coach. West Indies have shown recent improvements under Gibson by winning the World Twenty20 in Sri Lanka.
However, the poor performances that have followed including losing the recent series in the Caribbean to have triggered fresh speculation over his future as head coach of WICB.
Earlier,The Barbados Nation newspaper has quoted West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) president Dave Cameron as saying that Gibson was not with the 13-man squad in St.GeorgeÂ's.
The Nation also quoted Cameron as saying he could not “confirm nor deny” whether the 45-year-old Barbadian has been fired from his position as West IndiesÂ' head coach.
