The short statement from WICB said Simmons has been released with immediate effect and that differences in “culture and strategic approach” between Simmons and the board were identified.
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Despite winning the World T20, in the recent Test series against India, West Indies lost 2-0 and after playing 14 test matches, it only secured one victory to give it a shared series against England previous year.
West Indies have announced Phil Simmons’ departure as coach five months after their World T20 title triumph.
“At the appropriate time [we will speak on the Simmons matter]”.
It has been suggested that former West Indies captain and current Kent coach Jimmy Adams is the replacement the WICB wants, but sources close to Adams told ESPNcricinfo he is not interested, while unconfirmed reports are that current director of cricket Richard Pybus could take over as interim coach of the team for the matches against Pakistan.
“So after the publicity stunt in Fort Lauderdale the first so call plan to move West Indies Cricket forward is to Fire the Coach just 2days before a tour”. He was soon reinstated, but not before he had to issue an unequivocal public apology for his comments.
Simmons, 53, had endured a rocky time in the position and was suspended in September previous year after criticising the board’s selection policy for the West Indies’ tour to Sri Lanka.
In April, the former batting allrounder called on the WICB to review its policy on play availability with an eye to the tri-series with Australia and South Africa.
The 53-year-old has endured a hard time since leaving his post as the head coach of Ireland to lead West Indies. “It is wrong and I don’t like it and that is my beef with the selection of the ODI team”.
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“I have not heard anything back from them as yet, but hopefully there will be a productive discussion where (we) can arrive at some common goals”. Team manager Joel Garner and coaches Henderson Springer and Roddy Estwick will head the side in its upcoming series against Pakistan in the UAE.
