It may well be Roses week in the Vitality Blast, with Yorkshire and Lancashire meeting at Emirates Old Trafford on Friday. But Ottis Gibson has put cross-Pennine rivalries on hold to pay tribute to one of Lancashire’s finest, Jimmy Anderson, the retiring England bowler.
Anderson is playing his 188th and last Test Match this week, starting at Lord’s today against Gibson’s native West Indies.
Anderson, 41-years-old, has taken 700 Test wickets since debuting in 2003 and is the game’s most prolific seamer.
Former quick Gibson worked with Anderson during two spells as England’s bowling coach – between 2007 and 2010 and again between 2015 and 2017.
“Jimmy deserves a good send-off; he’s been magnificent,” said Yorkshire’s coach.
“Obviously I worked with Jimmy before. He’s such a legend of the game, and I’ll be hoping he does really well and has a good match.
“It seems, from what you read, that he doesn’t want to go; he’s been asked to leave almost. He got a seven-for last week (for Lancashire), and he still feels he can take wickets. He’s still taking wickets.
Picture by Mike Hewitt/Getty Images. Ex-England bowling coach Ottis Gibson watches on as Jimmy Anderson bowls during a net session at the Kia Oval in 2017.
“But England made their decision, and you must respect that.
“Whatever, he deserves the best possible send-off.
“But there’s some guys I know in the West Indies team who I also want to do well. I gave Kraigg (Brathwaite) his debut, for example, so I’d like him to do well also.”
Barbados-born Gibson coached the West Indies between 2010 and 2014, leading them to the T20 World Cup title in 2012.
Given Yorkshire’s busy schedule for the duration of the first Test – they have three T20 Blast games from tomorrow through to Sunday – Gibson will get limited time to watch the first Test.
But he is expecting a keenly fought series.
“The West Indies went to Australia (at the start of the year) with a very inexperienced team, and they won a game over there,” he added.
Picture by Gareth Copley/Getty Images. Jimmy Anderson ahead of his final Test this week.
“You could see the Aussies taking them for granted, almost, disrespecting them – not the players themselves, but past players and the media and so on.
“To see the way that they played there showed there is still a lot of talent in the West Indies – a hell of a lot of talent.
“If England take them for granted, give them a cause….
“The one thing we’ve always thrived on in the Caribbean is when people write you off and give you a cause, something to get your back up about.
“Then you’ll see the real fight.
“Everybody is trying to make a name for themselves, so I’m expecting the young lads from the Caribbean to come in and showcase their skills and showcase the talent that we still have in the West Indies.”
This is the first in a three-match series. Vishwa Fernando and Sri Lanka will follow for another three-match series from late August through to early September.
Picture by Lakruwan Wannoarachchi/GettyImages. Ottis Gibson and Chris Gayle celebrate during West Indies’ World T20 success in 2012.
