Cricket: Gibson backs suspended Shillingford

Shane Shillingford of the West Indies. Photo / Getty Images

West Indies coach Ottis Gibson has backed suspended spinner Shane Shillingford to bounce back after being banned over his bowling action.

Offspinner Shillingford was last night suspended by the International Cricket Council after having his action reported during a test against India last month.

He failed the biomechanical testing done in Perth under ICC auspices which allowed 15 degrees of tolerance in the bend of his bowling arm.

Allrounder Marlon Samuels, who also underwent testing in Perth en route to New Zealand, is allowed to continue bowling his offspinners, provided he doesn't deliver his quicker ball which was under scrutiny.

In Shillingford's case, it was his doosra delivery which the match officials in India didn't like and which failed the examination.

Last week Gibson was confident Shillingford would get the all-clear.

''Though I felt confident about the way the two players performed at the testing, the report did not come back in our favour," said Gibson.

"Shane is obviously gutted, but Marlon's role in the team, as I have said previously, is primarily as a batsman, so the impact on him is a little bit less."

Gibson said a plan would be worked through to have the pair fully cleared for bowling in the New Year.

The 30-year-old Dominican Shillingford has had a remarkable degree of success, taking 11 wickets in the two tests in India and has snared 65 wickets in 14 tests at 32.32 apiece.
Gibson believes both will bounce back.

''They are both tough characters and have had their share of ups and downs int eh game over the years," he said.

''We have no doubt that they will emerge emerge from this latest setback with the utmost confidence."

The West Indies have a readymade replacement for Shillingford for the third test against New Zealand, starting in Hamilton Thursday in Sunil Narine.