Ottis Gibson keen on batting coach

Following a series of failed run-chases in the home series against South Africa, West Indies head coach Ottis Gibson has identified the role of a batting coach as critical to his team's fortunes.

"At the end of this Digicel Series, we will sit down and look at what I believe my ideal coaching staff to be and that will include a batting coach for the long term," Gibson told reporters ahead of the third ODI. West Indies have already lost the two Twenty20 fixtures and the first two ODIs of the series. Former captain Jimmy Adams stepped in as a batting coach during the recently concluded World Twenty20, but currently the slot is empty.

"Jimmy came in and did a very good job and I will sit down with the CEO (Dr. Ernest Hilarie) and put together that coaching staff and a batting coach will certainly be high on the agenda," Gibson said.

After a lacklustre start to their chase of 301 in the second ODI, which suggested a repeat of the previous match where they missed the target by some distance, West Indies fought back admirably through Dwayne Bravo and Darren Sammy to give the visitors a scare. Gibson identified the loss of Bravo's wicket as the turning point of the game.

"Bravo got out to the last ball of an over that had conceded 13 runs and it was the last ball of a bowler's (Dale Steyn) spell. Those little things we need to get better at," Gibson said.

"We've created winning opportunities. Before you win, you have to create the opportunity to win. Those opportunities have not been strong enough. We have not thought through well enough. Talent-wise we're not far behind South Africa, thinking-wise - we're showing that we're very far behind," he said.