Gibson gets quick reminder of task ahead

It was reported that the 40-year-old was bullish about taking on the challenge of restoring West Indies to a more exalted place in World cricket.

But the former Barbados and West Indies fast bowler could be forgiven for longing to return to his previous job of England bowling coach which raised many eyebrows in the Caribbean when he gave it up.

After what transpired in Sunday's Twenty20 International at Queen's Park Oval, it won't be surprising if he too, felt he maybe does not have the mental capacity to handle one of the most difficult jobs in World cricket.

The day had promised much more for Gibson and West Indies, after Darren Sammy collected five wickets for 26 runs from 3.5 overs to trump Sulieman Benn's four for six from four overs for the third-best figures in a T20I.

They single-handedly dismissed Zimbabwe for their lowest T20I total of 105 in 19.5 overs, and West Indies winless spell against international opposition looked to be over.

Another supine batting performance sent West Indies careering to a 26-run defeat - and their lowest total in T20Is of 79 for seven from their allocation of 20 overs.

It meant the winless streak that harks back to last August during the players' strike - when a depleted side prevailed by five wickets over Bangladesh in a T20I - would continue.

“I told them if you take (Zimbabwe) for granted, you'll get beat,” Gibson told reporters following the maiden T20I between the two sides.

“I stand before you to say we didn't take them for granted. We planned for them, but the guys executed badly.”

Both Gibson and Denesh Ramdin, leading West Indies in the absence of resting talisman Chris Gayle, had warned the team about the consequences of taking Zimbabwe lightly.

But on a hard, slow Queen's Park Oval pitch offering the spin bowlers generous turn, batting was always going to be difficult for West Indies.

“You've got to give credit to Zimbabwe,” said Gibson. “They played the conditions far better than we did.

“The pitch was pretty ordinary, not necessarily conducive to stroke-making, but our guys did not take that into consideration.”

Spare a thought too, for the West Indies attack. Benn was simply brilliant bowling the new ball, and Sammy benefitted from the Zimbabweans hunt for runs in the second half of the innings.

Only Umar Gul of Pakistan with five for six from three overs against New Zealand in a Twenty20 World Cup match last year at the Oval, and Nehemiah Odhiambo with five for 20 from four overs for Kenya against Scotland earlier this year in Nairobi have better innings figures in T20Is than Sammy and Benn.

“(They) all bowled well,” said Gibson. “Nothing can be taken away from them. We also fielded sharply - we dropped only one catch. We just didn't bat well.”

There is not much time for Gibson to get his team's act together. The first of the five One-day Internationals between the two sides takes places on Thursday at the Guyana National Stadium.

The West Indies batting should be a bit more formidable with Gayle returning, after compassionate leave to visit his ailing mother, and possibly Ramnaresh Sarwan, whose hundred for his native Guyana against Windward Islands in a domestic first-class match over the weekend shows that he has regained some type of form and fitness.

“The first thing is to realise is what has gone wrong, and then deal with it,” said Gibson. “I am bitterly disappointed with the way we lost, but I'm also looking to the future.”