DURHAM'S chances of persuading Ottis Gibson to play for another season receded yesterday, when Allan Donald announced that he would not be resuming his role as England's bowling consultant.

The South African has decided to take up a similar position with his former county Warwickshire, working with the new Director of Cricket, Ashley Giles.

That leaves the door open for Gibson to continue as England's bowling coach, a role he has been handed for the current one-day series in Sri Lanka.

He is also expected to be on a shortlist for the position of West Indies coach, which is due to be drawn up in the next few weeks.

Having lived in this country since 1996, Gibson admitted last week that if he had to choose between England and the West Indies he would face a dilemma, adding: "I'll cross that bridge if I come to it."

England coach Peter Moores said: "Ottis is contracted to us until Christmas. We are with him for the next two or three months so we'll talk to him about his future. He has got some decisions to make."

Durham are very keen for 38-year-old Gibson to continue playing after his phenomenal season, and have discussed with him the possibility of doing more coaching with the club, although they already have a bowling coach in Alan Walker.

But if Gibson lands a full-time role with England or the West Indies he will retire from playing for a second time.

He hung up his boots in 2001 in pursuit of his coaching career, having decided that if he wasn't going to play for the West Indies any more he wasn't bothered about playing at all.

After making both his one-day international and Test debuts at Lord's on the 1995 tour, he appeared in only one more Test and 14 more ODIs.

"Giving up wasn't a difficult decision to make. I had lost a bit of love for the game because playing for the West Indies was all I ever wanted to do.

"Everybody who has seen the West Indies in recent years says I should have played more. I've no idea why I didn't. It's frustrating but it's gone."

In 2001 Gibson did his level three coaching certificate at Lilleshall in the spring, then landed a post as the ECB national coach for the North-West.

"I delved into that wholeheartedly and it also allowed me to do my level four certificate. Then I got involved with helping to nurture the best young cricketers in England.

"But in 2003 I was told the ECB had to make cutbacks and the contract was not being renewed. That's when I went to play for Leicestershire."

It was mainly through Martyn Moxon that he came to Durham last year as they had done their level four coaching together.

Gibson has spoken to the West Indian authorities about their coaching role and says: "It seems to me that West Indian cricketers now are not motivated by pride. Perhaps they see money as the most important thing.

"When I was growing up past players were the coaches, now it's a career and people have to see it that way. I have been on every course I could get on. It's something you have to learn how to do properly, but I'm not sure how seriously it's taken in the West Indies.

"They really have to remind young players of the history of West Indies cricket and get them back to playing for the shirt and realise what it means.