WEST?INDIES COACH OTTIS GIBSON believes knowledge and familiarity with home conditions could work in England’s favour during next month’s ICC Champions Trophy.
The regional cricketers are in Group B alongside Pakistan, India and South Africa but when asked about the composition of the two groups at a pre-tour Press briefing at the Accra Beach Hotel on Saturday, Gibson said it may be tougher for Group A teams Australia, New Zealand and Sri Lanka, who are grouped with the host country.
“You can’t say it’s the Group of Death because when you look at the next group, any group with England in English conditions at this time of the year, it is going to be a difficult group also,” Gibson pointed out.
He noted that the last time the Champions Trophy was held in England in 2004 with the West Indies winning, it was staged at the back end of the season in September when it was warmer and the pitches worn but this tournament will be in June.
“So when you look at that, England would be the best team to play in England in these conditions at this time of the year. To my mind, they are the favourites and for the rest of the seven teams, it is who gets settled and used to the conditions quickly enough.
“They could then have a major say as well and that’s what our aim is – to get there and get ourselves acclimatized as quickly as possible,” Gibson said.
“We know that we have a lot of guys who have played in England before in those conditions but it is all about gelling as soon as we can and making sure that when the main event [first match against Pakistan] comes on June 7, we are ready for that,” added Gibson.
West Indies will also play India June 11 at the Oval and South Africa June 14 at Sophia Gardens in Cardiff, and Gibson said the tour selectors “will try and put the best team out to win every game”.
“Whether that then becomes the same 11 every time, then so be it, but our aim is to win the tournament,” he said.
He noted, however, that the composition of the side may vary according to the opponents and conditions in England.
“It might be that we think when we are playing sub-continental teams that play spin very well, we might want to play an extra fast bowler or whatever the case may be. We don’t know that yet.
“When we get to England, we will see what the weather is like, what the conditions are like in the places we are going to be playing and decide from there how we are going to approach each game,” Gibson explained.
