'Bradshaw and Browne were brilliant'

Gus Logie's final act as coach of the West Indies may have also been his greatest. The ICC Champions Trophy over, he will make way for a new coach.

On Saturday, the 44-year-old former batsman guided the West Indies to its first major tournament victory since the 1979 World Cup. His motto is simple: a coach can only help and guide. It's the players who do it on the field.

Ashish Magotra spoke with the man the morning after the triumph over England in the final.

The morning after the amazing victory, how does it feel?

People are in a state of euphoria. Over the last few months people know what we have gone through. We have received a lot of criticism over our training methods and commitment to the cause. But with this win we have been justified.

I must pull out one fact: for four games the West Indian bowlers did not bowl a single no-ball. It is very commendable. I think this team deserves a lot of credit to have come here [to England] as complete underdogs and no-hopers and won the tournament. You will have to convince me otherwise, but I believe it was divine intervention.

We saw Ian Bradshaw using a tape-measure to mark out his run-up...

Yes, we talked about using a tape-measure to mark our run-ups, and Bradshaw is one of the few guys in the team who actually does that. We are trying to get the others to do it and they believe they have it all worked out. And looking at their results, they certainly do.

So what's next for you as coach of the West Indies cricket team?

Well, this basically is my last tournament in charge. This was decided almost three-four months back. It is no secret that the West Indies Cricket Board is looking for a foreign coach and they have already spoken to a lot of people. Whoever comes in, I hope he gets a lot of support; certainly a lot more than what I was getting.

But wouldn't you like to continue? Given your performance here, do you think the Board might change its mind?

I had a two-year contract and that contract ends in June next year. I don't think we had the patience to wait for the results in the West Indies. We wanted instant results and if you don't get that then the knives are always going to be out for you.

Also Read It was do or die: Browne

We did not have the success as a team but a lot of personal milestones were achieved. Brian Lara's 400 [against England], the record chase -- 418 against Australia; Sarwan's 261 [against Bangladesh in Jamaica in June 2004] and many more. It made me feel as if I have contributed a little to their cause as well.

You built it all and now somebody else comes and takes over. It just doesn't sound very fair...

I don't like the fact that somebody tells me that I will not be able to have the opportunity to contribute to this team anymore. I do not like the fact that the new coach will have the opportunity with more authority than I ever had. But Windies cricket is greater than all of us and I was willing to step aside.

When Shivnaraine Chanderpaul was dismissed, what went through your mind?

We were watching on TV and listening to the radio as well. And people everywhere were saying that England have won the Champions Trophy, and that too at home, and how it was a great achievement. But they all forgot cricket is a game of glorious uncertainties.

Tell us something about Ian Bradshaw.

We knew about Bradshaw's ability with the bat. As a junior, he was captain of the under-19 team and used to bat at the number 4 position. Unfortunately, for the Englishmen, he had not been at his best in the past few months. That meant they had no video of him and, in turn, no plan.

Bradshaw is an accountant by trade and a brilliant man. He can calculate and I think, at the end of the day, he would have been calculating the $300,000 prize- money.

Your defining moment of the match...

The last shot to win the game was exquisite. It was the shot of the match. Both Bradshaw and Browne were brilliant. They play for Barbados together and have a lot of confidence and faith in each other's ability. Everybody in this team was giving it his best shot.

What did you tell the team on the eve of the final?

We tried to put everyone as ease. We told them that we were the underdogs and England were the favourites; England were the home side and all the pressure was on them. Nobody expected us to be here, much less to go ahead and win the match. But we had to believe in ourselves and in our ability to win the match. Every single individual was up to it. I don't think motivation was a factor at all.