Phil Simmons suspended with immediate effect; Eldine Baptiste appointed

According to Simmons, he was not given the chance to have the “greatest 50-over squad” for the upcoming West Indies tour of Sri Lanka.

Speaking to the media at the 3Ws Oval yesterday, Simmons said that he is disappointed that he has not gotten the best ODI squad that can be selected from the Caribbean.

Baptiste is a current member of the WICB Selection Panel.

The West Indies’ head coach Phil Simmons has came out strongly in criticism of the outside influence in the selection of the squad for the upcoming One-Day worldwide (ODI) series against Sri Lanka.

“As a result, the management of the WICB has taken action to suspend the head coach, pending an investigation into the issue”.

West Indies selectors are yet to release the names of players on the ODI squad to play Sri Lanka next month.

On Sunday, Grenada’s Prime Minister Dr Keith Mitchell described Simmons comments as “disturbing” and joined with him in condemning “any act that undermined his leadership and the discretion of the Board of Selectors to field the best team”. ¡°So once they have bought into our philosophy of the captain and myself, then it was about selection.¡± However, Simmons said that despite the Chairman of Selectors Clive Lloyd giving an exceptional speech that he thinks it is time that they were back on the squad as well as giving some excellent reasons for them being back, the voting did not go in their favour. The other three present were Courtney Walsh, Courtney Browne and Eldine Baptiste. Unfortunately, when we went into the selection [meeting] we lost it 3-2. ¡°The captains don¡¯t have a vote in this, but the captain also gave reasons why they should be back.¡± Simmons expressed his further disappointment in the process.

“The team is now at an important crossroads, and it will require wisdom and good leadership to chart and follow the right path. It will therefore take the skill, motivation and priorities of the men who lead and the players who follow, to restore the team to world prominence”. Nothing signified this more clearly than West Indies’ aborted tour of India last October.

“Opposing teams, cricket lovers around the world and supporters of West Indies cricket expect to see the best West Indies teams on the field. “It is wrong and I don’t like it and that is my beef with the selection of the ODI team”.

He is a former Ireland coach.

He immediately made his mark after overseeing an impressive 1-1 Test series draw with England, but it is now unknown when, or even if, he will resume his role.