ST JOHN’S: Phil Simmons has returned to take charge of the West Indies three years after being dismissed in controversial circumstances, Cricket West Indies (CWI) announced on Monday.
In a statement CWI said that Simmons would be head coach for the next four years. He led the West Indies to the 2016 Twenty20 World Cup before being booted out amid tensions with his paymasters.
“Bringing Phil Simmons back is not just righting a past wrong, but I am confident that CWI has chosen the right man for the job at the right time,” said CWI president Ricky Skerritt.
Former West Indies all-rounder Simmons, 56, was sacked in September 2016 for ‘differences in culture and strategic approach’ between with the cricket hierarchy despite their remarkable T20 World Cup triumph, won in the last over of a dramatic final against England when Carlos Brathwaite hitting four consecutive sixes.
Simmons’ success in the T20 arena however was not mirrored in Test cricket.
During his reign the West Indies won only one of 14 Tests.
The strains between Simmons and the West Indies cricket authorities often bubbled to the surface, most notably in 2015, when he complained about the selection of the squad for a one-day series against Sri Lanka.
He was suspended after complaining of ‘interference’ in the selection process, reinstated after a reprimand before being forced out the following year.
Simmons takes over from interim coach Floyd Reifer, who was named interim coach in April as part of a number of administrative changes less than two months before the World Cup in England and Wales.
“I want to also thank the very talented Floyd Reifer for the hard work he put in while he was the interim coach,” Skerritt added.
Simmons first assignment will be West Indies’ series against Afghanistan in November, which will be played in India. The teams will play three Twenty20 Internationals, followed by three One-day Internationals and one Test.
Published in Dawn, October 16th, 2019
