Gibson speaks up for slowing down

The Barbadian who became the player of the English season at the age of 38 is much in demand. Durham want him to continue playing and he has applied to become West Indies coach.

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Gibson: much in demand

But England are in pole position to secure his bowling coaching services, having recruited him for this Sri Lankan tour after Allan Donald turned them down.

Now one of the most effective seamers in last season's championship has turned teacher to England's young attack and spent yesterday showing Jimmy Anderson, Stuart Broad, Ryan Sidebottom and Chris Tremlett a variety of slower balls he has learned.

"We've looked at Monday's defeat and Sri Lanka bowled a lot more slower balls than us," said Gibson ahead of today's second one-day international here.

"Everybody in the England team has one but maybe they didn't bowl slower deliveries twice in every over like Sri Lanka. Today's session has been emphasising the need to practise them because we are going to need them in these conditions."

Gibson, who famously took all 10 Hampshire wickets in an innings last season, learned how to bowl slower deliveries from the pioneer of the art, his fellow Barbadian Franklyn Stephenson.

Many an embarrassed batsman used to duck under Stephenson's looping deliveries thinking them to be beamers, only to watch mortified as they lobbed gently down on to the stumps.

"If I could teach them that, we'd be striking gold," said Gibson, who has worked with the England academy for the last two winters.

"But I showed them four types and it was about seeing which one fitted best for each bowler."

While Gibson was talking slower balls, four England players were thinking more of speed.

Paul Collingwood, Ian Bell, Broad and Ravi Bopara came across a two-metre snake while on a jog in this jungle outpost and did not wait to discover if it was one of the many poisonous ones found here.

"We certainly ran a lot faster after seeing that," said captain Collingwood.