Wed, Sep 30, '15
ST JOHN’S—Suspended head coach Phil Simmons will know his fate within the next week, after he meets with a West Indies Cricket Board human resource panel to discuss his controversial comments.
WICB chief executive, Michael Muirhead, said yesterday the 52-year-old Trinidadian had been called to answer “breaches of confidentiality and bringing West Indies Cricket Board into disrepute.”
Simmons told media in Barbados last Friday that the selection process regarding the one-day team had been influenced by “interference from outside” and as a result, the best side had not been chosen for the three-match series against Sri Lanka starting next month.
“What has happened with Phil Simmons is most unfortunate. Rest assured, he has not been fired. Let us say he’s been called to answer breaches of confidentiality and bringing West Indies Cricket Board into disrepute,” Muirhead said.
Tue, Sep 29, '15
WICB Press Release:ST. JOHN’S, Antigua – Chairman of West Indies selectors Clive Lloyd has responded to recent public statements made by West Indies Team Head Coach, Phil Simmons:
“It was drawn to my attention several things which were said by Head Coach of the West Indies team Phil Simmons recently as he addressed members of the media in Barbados, following the conclusion of the team’s camp, ahead of the Tour of Sri Lanka.
“It must be noted that in the short time that Phil has been involved as Head Coach, he has done a good job in building team unity and morale, and the players have warmed to his coaching methods.
“Phil has apologised to all for his recent public statements and how strongly he would have felt on certain selection matters of the team.
“We agreed – at times – that we will have a difference of opinion, but we cannot condone such outbursts.
“Therefore, we will always seek discussion and dialogue at every stage of the selection process and work towards the best interest of West Indies cricket.”
Tue, Sep 29, '15
ONE-DAY INTERNATIONAL SQUAD
Jason Holder (Captain), Devendra Bishoo, Jermaine Blackwood
Carlos Brathwaite, Darren Bravo, Jonathan Carter
Johnson Charles, Andre Fletcher, Jason Mohammed
Sunil Narine, Denesh Ramdin, Ravi Rampaul
Andre Russell, Marlon Samuels, Jerome Taylor
TWENTY20 INTERNATIONAL SQUAD
Darren Sammy (Captain),Samuel Badree, Darren Bravo
Dwayne Bravo, Jonathan Carter, Johnson Charles
Andre Fletcher, Jason Holder, Sunil Narine
Kieron Pollard, Denesh Ramdin, Ravi Rampaul
Andre Russell, Marlon Samuels, Jerome Taylor
Tue, Sep 29, '15
“There seems to be a lot of exposed electrical wire all over the place and people are getting shocked left, right and centre.” The words of Azim Bassarath president of the T&T Cricket Board (TTCB) responding to Phil Simmons suspension by the WICB management committee.
Simmons was suspended and will miss the tour of Sri Lanka over comments he made at a press conference in Barbados. The former West Indies all rounder said there was outside interference that was keeping all rounders Dwayne Bravo and Keiron Pollard out of the West Indies ODI team and that he did not have the strongest team at his disposal in Sri Lanka.
The WICB management committee of Michael Muirhead and Richard Pybus decided to suspend Simmons and replace him in the interim with selector Eldine Baptiste. Bassarath who also sits as a director on the WICB said the matter of Simmons’ suspension never came to the directors of the board which he found shocking. “It is strange that a decision is made by the management committee concerning something as serious as this and it did not come to the board.
When Simmons was interviewed for the post of coach the board had to ratify it, so I don’t agree with the management committee making this decision all by themselves.”
read more at Trinidad Guardian
Mon, Sep 28, '15
ST. JOHN’S, Antigua – The West Indies Cricket Board has learnt of the comments from Head Coach of the West Indies team Phil Simmons in the print and electronic media which appear to question the legitimacy of the selection process of the One-day International squad for the Tour of Sri Lanka. As a result, the Management of the WICB has taken action to suspend the Head Coach, pending an investigation into the issue.
The Head Coach will not now travel with the team on the Tour of Sri Lanka. In the meantime, the Management has advised that the coaching responsibilities of the Head Coach will pass to Eldine Baptiste, a member of the WICB Selection Panel, until the matter is cleared up. Baptiste was already a member of the original tour party to Sri Lanka as the “selector-on-tour”.