West Indies head coach Phil Simmons has defended the decision to exclude Roston Chase from the team’s opening match in the ICC T20 World Cup against England on Saturday and insists that they did not misread the pitch before selecting the team.

In a rematch of the 2016 T20 World Cup final when the West Indies emerged victoriously, England bowled the defending champions out for 55 with Chris Gayle top-scoring with 13. England’s spinners took six of the 10 wickets to fall before their batters achieved the winning target in 8.2 overs.

Chase, a more than useful bowler, would have also given the West Indies another bowling option as a spinner in the match where spinners took eight of the 14 wickets to fall, the best of them being England’s Adil Rashid, who boasted ridiculous figures of four wickets for two runs from his four overs.

Still, Coach Simmons speaking with the media on Sunday, insisted that the team they selected was the right one for the conditions.

“I don’t think we misread the pitch. Yes, the spinners got some wickets but as you go along you have seen that the pitch was a good pitch,” he said during a media conference from Dubai on Sunday where the West Indies are preparing to face South Africa on Tuesday.

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In reply to CaribbeanCricket.com

Simmons NEVER admits he is EVER wrong

Let him continue to SLEEP watch the games like he did in the CPL

Yes he had to backup his decision, cannot make himself look like he made another misassessment after making one just recently, with the omission of spinners on a spin friendly pitch.

In reply to CaribbeanCricket.com
this man is a jack ass one with a tail meaning he is not even capable of being a proper jack ass, he is bias leans towards sir-ten payers the site of this man just disgust me hearing him talk is ten time worst, Lewis apart,Chase has been the most inform batsman in the team plus he can bowl and field better than Simmons yet he was kicked aside by that A hole

Correct he isn’t capable of coaching at this level…. Idiotic statements and the embarrassing performance of the team time and time again 🤔what more does he have to do to get fired!!!!

In reply to CaribbeanCricket.com
Can somebody explain why Holder was not the replacement for Allen? Is it because Holder is not Trinidadian? Why did we have to send for a spin bowler in Trinidad to replace an allrounder when Holder, one of the top allrounders in the world is right there? I really don't get it. This team seems to be a Trinidad team....not a West Indies team.

In reply to rhatid

Wasn't Hosien not also in UAE as a reserve?

In reply to rhatid

In the first place Holder should have been in the first fourteen, but it's hard to argue against the decision to call up Husien, he was the obvious replacement

Simmons is an idiot. We never needed Chase for his bowling. We needed Chase to stabilize the batting. He was to play the “Samuels” role. Chase is in good batting form.
SMH.

In reply to CaribbeanCricket.com

Nonesense .... even if you did not hink he was needed as a bowler he has been the best t/20 bat for WI based on form, so he should have played as a batter.

In reply to rhatid

you have the right to question, but when you ask with an answer in mind you colours look suspect.
Hosein was also a reserve, as holder is. Allen was also there to so some spin, so Hosein rather than Holder is logical.
The fact that we are so quick to conclude bias is half of our problems in WI cricket. Having said that I do think Holder should have been in the original squard, because of the location of the games , easily ahead of OT.

Can someone tell me a time when a coach said he made the wrong choice, remember when Hillary did not pick Gayle and Otis said he got the team he wanted?

In reply to camos

When did Hillary pick teams for west indies ?

In reply to FuzzyWuzzy


you back up your friend Cams
.

In reply to FuzzyWuzzy


the guy from St Lucia, not your guy calm down!

In reply to tc1

He spreads misinformation

In reply to CaribbeanCricket.com I know we are all hurt and upset about the defeat and the manner in which we were defeated and, I can understand why many are upset that Chase was not included. However, I agree with Phil Simmonds that we had our best 11 out there and we failed. While I would have expected Chase to be on the team as a batting allrounder, I would have to ask in whose place? Would you drop Lewis or Simmonds and instead open with Gayle so Chase could come in at # 3? Or should they drop Gayle or Hetty and play Chase? Or should they have dropped either Russell or Bravo and replace them with Chase? I find we had a very good team and they all disappointed us. I think for tomorrow's game we are going to have to drop Simmonds or Hetty to play Chase though

In reply to Sylobaby

you mean you can't drop any of these world class players?

In reply to ray

According to the experts, we have a team loaded with match winners. Don't worry, we are just getting acclimated to the conditions.

I always will condemn insularity in West Indies cricket. Please stop selecting players on just potential. Performance must be the main factor for selection. Drop players when they fail. Players must earn their pay.

In reply to ray No seko I sure didn’t say that. I simply asked who you would drop? For the game against England I felt we had a very strong team but they all failed so I would expect a change tomorrow and I probably would leave out Simmons and open with Gayle so Chase could bat at number 3 if we find ourselves in early trouble.

Phil, there's no way your nephew should be playing ahead of Chase.

That's nepotism.

In reply to CaribbeanCricket.com

This guy is the biggest clown in that whole damned circus that he Is managing