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Offline vb

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Narine, Rampaul return for the WI/Simmo suspened for SL tour.
« on: September 24, 2015, 02:41:39 PM »

Narine, Rampaul return for Sri Lanka
 

 
Vinode Mamchan
Published:
Wednesday, September 23, 2015

Sunil Narine...back in West Indies colours for Sri Lanka ODIs.
Mystery spinner Sunil Narine has been selected on the West Indies team for the limited overs segment of their upcoming tour to Sri Lanka.

This is welcome news for the West Indies, as Narine last represented the region back at the World T20 in Bangladesh last year. He was then no-balled for an alleged illegal bowling action during the Champions Trophy in India and since then has been out of action at the international level while working on fine tuning his action.

During the period of exile from international cricket, the Queen’s Park player has been actively involved in ODI cricket for the Red Force and T20 cricket for the Guyana Amazon Warriors.

Also making a return to the West Indies ODI outfit is fast bowler Ravi Rampaul, who has been putting in the hard work at the National Cricket Centre (NCC) in Trinidad with the T&T Red Force team.

The other locals on the team are opener Lendl Simmons, middle order batsman Darren Bravo and wicketkeeper/batsman Denesh Ramdin.

Of note though is the continued exclusion of all rounders Dwayne Bravo and Keiron Pollard who have been overlooked for ODI cricket, since the aborted tour of India last October. Bravo was at the helm of the regional team when they decided against completing their tour of India due to a payment structure dispute with the WICB.

Immediately after they were excluded from the West Indies ODI team for the tour of South Africa, although they got slotted in for the T20 matches. They were also snubbed for the International Cricket Council (ICC) World Cup in New Zealand and Australia.

Recently, there was an attempt by new coach Phil Simmons to get Bravo and Pollard involved in the team set up but it is understood that talks broke down due to the decrease in match fees offered for Test cricket. The players were however still interested in playing ODI and T20 cricket for the Caribbean side.

The West Indies tour of Sri Lanka opens with the first Test at Galle on October 14. They play the second Test match at Colombo from October 20 and this will be followed by three ODI matches and two T20 clashes.

Recently, the WICB changed the leadership of the Test side and Barbadian Jason Holder will travel to Sri Lanka at the helm, replacing Ramdin who was on the job for 15 months.

Holder will also be captain of the ODI side which he started back in January against South Africa, while St Lucian Darren Sammy, who led the West Indies to a World T20 title back in 2012, will stay as captain of the team for the T20 matches.
« Last Edit: September 28, 2015, 03:21:03 PM by vb »
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Simmo: Outside influences blocking Bravo, Pollard's return.
« Reply #1 on: September 26, 2015, 07:16:21 AM »
http://newsday.co.tt/sport/0,217580.html

Simmons: ‘Outside influence’ blocking Bravo, Pollard
Saturday, September 26 2015

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Head coach Phil Simmons courted controversy yesterday when he slammed “interference from outside” as the reason for the omission of Dwayne Bravo and Kieron Pollard from the one-day squad, for the upcoming tour of Sri Lanka.

The 52-year-old Simmons, who took charge of the squad back in March following the ICC World Cup, said he, chairman of selectors Clive Lloyd and captain Jason Holder, were all in favour of the Trinidadian duo’s re-inclusion, but “people” had used their “influence” to keep them out of the squad.

In a candid interview with reporters on the final day of the West Indies camp at the 3Ws Oval, Simmons castigated such interference as “wrong” and said it had robbed the region of its best ODI squad.

However, he did not say who the interference was coming from.

“I think it’s disappointing from the fact that I haven’t got the best 50-over ODI squad that we can select in the Caribbean,” an irate Simmons said.

“The chairman, Mr Lloyd, he came and he gave an exceptional speech saying that he thinks it is time they are back in the squad and he gave exceptional reasons for them being back in the squad.

“Unfortunately, when we went into the selection (meeting) we lost it 3-2. Him and myself — the captain doesn’t have a vote in this — but the captain also gave his views as why they need to be back.” He continued, “The disappointing fact is that you can lose 3-2 in a vote-off but there is too much interference from outside in the selection of the ODI squad and it’s disappointing for me to know that in any aspect of life … (people would use) their position to get people into a squad or in this case, get people left out of a squad.

“It is wrong and I don’t like it and that is my beef with the selection of the ODI team.” Bravo was sacked as captain and along with Pollard, controversially axed for the ODI series in South Africa last January and overlooked for the World Cup.

The decision provoked the ire of many, with several critics branding the move as victimisation stemming from the role both players had in the controversial abandoned ODI tour of India last October.

Simmons said it was now “disappointing” that with both Bravo and Pollard available for selection, those with influence were ensuring the players remained sidelined.

“I don’t think that it (selection) was done as professionally as it should be done, (there was) too much interference from outside and in this case, I even go as far as saying maybe influence because the reasons that were given for them being out,” Simmons complained.

After taking over as coach, Simmons met with both players who indicated their willingness to continue representing West Indies, but only in the shorter formats.

The Trinidadian said while he could not guarantee Bravo and Pollard their selection, he had secured their commitment to the management set-up of the squad.

“There was no agreement reached (with the players). I can’t go and say, ‘oi you’re selected’.

I had a chat with every one of them saying ‘this is the way I think things should be done, are you happy with the way I’m going to do things’,” Simmons explained.

“And everyone to a (man) were happy with the way things were going to run, happy with the captain, happy with everything that was to move forward. So once they had bought into our philosophy as to the captain and myself then it’s about selection.

“I can’t go and tell them, ‘hey, you’re in the squad’ so I think that’s all I could have done.” The ODI squad is yet to be formally announced but is expected to be named next week.

CMC
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Offline Sando prince

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Re: Narine, Rampaul return for the WI
« Reply #2 on: September 26, 2015, 09:26:26 AM »


Boi Simmons leave his nice stable wuk in Ireland for all this WI drama smh

Offline jusbless

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Re: Narine, Rampaul return for the WI
« Reply #3 on: September 28, 2015, 01:04:04 PM »
Now they have suspended Phil Simmons for talking the truth, I think hat has been the last straw and it is time for a pull out of Trinidadians from the West Indies Team it is time we go on our own and build from a associate team and get international status as we can compete better as a Trinidadian team than west indies , less fight down and a common goal , too much jealousy in west indies cricket

Offline Sando prince

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Re: Narine, Rampaul return for the WI
« Reply #4 on: September 28, 2015, 01:27:58 PM »
Now they have suspended Phil Simmons for talking the truth, I think hat has been the last straw and it is time for a pull out of Trinidadians from the West Indies Team it is time we go on our own and build from a associate team and get international status as we can compete better as a Trinidadian team than west indies , less fight down and a common goal , too much jealousy in west indies cricket

A lot of Trinis have been crying for this for some time eh. Now this new development with the WICB and Simmons you will hear the cries get louder

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Re: Narine, Rampaul return for the WI
« Reply #5 on: September 28, 2015, 01:54:37 PM »
http://www.bbc.com/sport/0/cricket/34385808

Phil Simmons suspended as West Indies head coach


West Indies have suspended head coach Phil Simmons after his criticism of the selections for the tour of Sri Lanka.

The 52-year-old, who only took charge in March, questioned the omissions of all-rounders Dwayne Bravo and Kieron Pollard from the one-day squad.
"It's disappointing from the fact that I haven't got the best 50-over ODI squad that we can select," he said.

Eldine Baptiste, a member of the selection panel, will now take charge of the tour which starts on 14 October.

A media release from West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) said Simmons' comments appeared to "question the legitimacy of the selection process".
It added: "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."
Bravo and Pollard have not featured in the ODI squad since they were dropped for the tour of South Africa in December 2014 after a tour of India was aborted because of a pay dispute.
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Re: Narine, Rampaul return for the WI/Simmo suspened for SL tour.
« Reply #6 on: September 28, 2015, 04:53:29 PM »


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Grenada PM bat for Simmons
« Reply #7 on: September 28, 2015, 05:03:29 PM »


Grenada PM bats for Simmons
Monday, September 28 2015

GRENADA PRIME Minister Dr Keith Mitchell has come out in support of Phillip Simmons, just two days after the West Indies senior team coach publicly expressed his disappointment at not being given the best possible team for the One-Day International (ODI) part of the forthcoming tour of Sri Lanka.

In a written statement yesterday, Mitchel, the chairman of the CARICOM Sub-Committee on Cricket Governance endorsed the sentiments of both Simmons and Chairman of Selectors Clive Lloyd, that the best players should be representing the regional team. On Friday, at the end of a week-long players’ camp at the 3W’s Oval in Barbados, Simmons revealed that Lloyd and team captain Jason Holder had supported him in the bid to have internationally- recognised and respected players Dwayne Bravo and Kieron Pollard included in the ODI squad. Simmons noted that as captain, Holder had no vote, and that he (Simmons) and Lloyd were outvoted 3-2.

In his statement, Dr Mitchell said he noted “with grave concern” Simmons’ comments that “outside influences” had a hand in the team selection, adding that he found those comments “highly disturbing.” Saying the team is now at an important crossroads, Mitchell said it would require wisdom and good leadership to chart and follow the right path for the regional side.

“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,” he said.

The Grenada prime minister lauded the credentials of Lloyd and Simmons.

“Phil Simmons has had phenomenal success with Team Ireland during his tenure as head coach. His success against the West Indies team in the 2015 World Cup must have been a bittersweet moment for him. His record and efforts so far, deserve commendation.” “To that end, the leadership unit must receive the full and unequivocal support and cooperation of the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB), and the backing of an independent selection panel that is free of interference, fear or favour.

Dr Mitchell said he joined with Simmons in condemning “any act that undermined his leadership and the discretion of the Board of Selectors to field the best team.” To reinforce his point, Mitchell referred to a recent comment from a global figure.

“A sports organisation needs good management and administration to function at its best, but it cannot win battles on the field without sensible, coordinated and innovative leadership at every level throughout its ranks.

The organisation must not be divided unto itself.

“Only a few days ago, Pope Francis in a speech at the United Nations, reminded the world about the dangers of polarisation, anger, hatred, resentment, exclusion and adversarial attitudes, and the benefits of inclusion, kindness, unity, cooperation and common purpose.” In conclusion, Dr Mitchell effectively said that all parties should put differences aside and remember what the West Indies team means to its people.

“Opposing teams, cricket lovers around the world and supporters of West Indies cricket expect to see the best West Indies teams on the field. Clive Lloyd, the chairman of selectors, recently made that same point. Together with the head coach, he urged selectors to bury their hatchets and trade the self-defeating, mean-spirited and losing culture of exclusion for a cooperative and winning culture of inclusion and unity.

The West Indies public expects and deserves nothing less.”
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Re: Narine, Rampaul return for the WI/Simmo suspened for SL tour.
« Reply #8 on: September 28, 2015, 05:57:20 PM »


It’s a sham’
By STEPHON NICHOLAS Monday, September 28 2015

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It’s a sham. That was how former West Indies Players Association (WIPA) president Dinanath Ramnarine described the selection process of the West Indies team.

In an unprecedented development on Friday afternoon, Windies coach Phil Simmons expressed disappointment and frustration at the “outside interference” which resulted in allrounders Dwayne Bravo and Kieron Pollard remaining ostracised from the regional team. Simmons, a highly respected coach who made a name for himself in charge of Ireland, revealed that himself and Chairman of Selectors Clive Lloyd were outvoted 3-2 in their motion to include the duo by the rest of the selection panel — Courtney Walsh, Courtney Browne and Eldine Baptiste.

Simmons made it clear that it did not bother him that they were unsuccessful in their efforts but he is disgruntled by the “outside” pressure being put on the selection committee in what supposed to be an independent and democratic process. Captain Jason Holder, although not having a vote, had also lobbied in vain for the inclusion of Bravo and Pollard.

Speaking at the WICB town hall meeting in Chaguanas on Friday, Cameron, even at the expense of contradicting himself, went through great pain to attempt to articulate that Pollard and Bravo’s continued exclusion was based on cricketing decisions and was a choice solely made by the Selection Committee of which he was not part of.

Asked how Dwayne Smith at 32 years old and a batting average of 18.75 made it on the World Cup team when 31-year-old Bravo (25.36 batting average, 199 wickets)) and 28-year-old Pollard (25.20 batting average) were not considered due to being old and not performing, Cameron said it was not fair to judge an opener and a middle-order batsman by the same standard.

He indicated though that Smith’s excellent performance at the NAGICO Super 50 may have bode well for him but had no answer when Newsday pointed out to him that Bravo was in fact named on the ICC ODI Team of the Year for 2014.

Ramnarine, although extremely disappointed by what transpired, said he was not surprised that the selectors were allegedly not allowed to do their jobs.

“The issue of interference is nothing new.

There have been cases such as Lendl Simmons, Narsingh Deonarine and (Ramnaresh) Sarwan where WIPA represented them in my tenure and there were outside interference in selection process and they were awarded large sums of money for that. This is nothing new. One would have thought though that the WICB would have learned from that,” he said.

Ramnarine urged the cricketing public to speak vociferously in defence of Simmons who he fears may suffer some backlash for his comments.

“One has to commend Simmons and Clive Lloyd belatedly and feel a sense of pity for Jason Holder that he is given captaincy, wanting the best team and not being given it.

Yet they say they want to provide support to him (Holder) but one of the things they can do to support him is giving him the best players,” he pointed out.

The ex-Windies leg-spinner said the spotlight must be put on the selectors that voted against Pollard and Bravo.

“This is the first time we have had a coach so honest and transparent.

The question is why the three selectors who did not vote for them are not being called to account.

If a team does not perform, the three people usually suffering the most criticism are the captain, coach and Chairman of Selectors, and if they not being supported we must ask why.

“This is a very serious matter and has to be examined. I trust the cricketing community will give Simmons the support he needs. I have played under Simmons and he is the most decent, honest and fair human being you would ever come across. We cannot allow people like Phil Simmons to fall through the crack because of poor governance structure and be maligned and victimised when those who play the games of the Board have a free ride.

That has to stop. The time has come for the coach to be given full authority.”
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Offline Sando prince

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Re: Narine, Rampaul return for the WI/Simmo suspened for SL tour.
« Reply #9 on: September 29, 2015, 09:13:04 AM »


So what next? just have a few meetings and say we put this behind us and move on? hmmm

Offline weary1969

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Re: Narine, Rampaul return for the WI/Simmo suspened for SL tour.
« Reply #10 on: October 01, 2015, 01:21:35 PM »


Boi Simmons leave his nice stable wuk in Ireland for all this WI drama smh

CO-SIGN/ENT/ :banginghead:
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Offline kaliman2006

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Re: Narine, Rampaul return for the WI/Simmo suspened for SL tour.
« Reply #11 on: October 03, 2015, 10:26:23 AM »


Boi Simmons leave his nice stable wuk in Ireland for all this WI drama smh

I believe that he


Boi Simmons leave his nice stable wuk in Ireland for all this WI drama smh

He must have been too used to how professionally run boards operate; he really should have stayed yes

Offline Deeks

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Re: Narine, Rampaul return for the WI/Simmo suspened for SL tour.
« Reply #12 on: October 03, 2015, 11:24:40 AM »


Boi Simmons leave his nice stable wuk in Ireland for all this WI drama smh

I believe that he


Boi Simmons leave his nice stable wuk in Ireland for all this WI drama smh

He must have been too used to how professionally run boards operate; he really should have stayed yes

Like Hart, he needed a challenge.

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Re: Narine, Rampaul return for the WI/Simmo suspened for SL tour.
« Reply #13 on: October 03, 2015, 11:54:10 AM »
Well, who didn't see the consequences of Phil Simmons speaking out?

Kudos to Dinanath Ramnarine.

Could someone flesh out the source(s) of the outside interference? What we really talking about?

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Re: Narine, Rampaul return for the WI/Simmo suspened for SL tour.
« Reply #14 on: October 03, 2015, 12:27:48 PM »
Well, who didn't see the consequences of Phil Simmons speaking out?

Kudos to Dinanath Ramnarine.

Could someone flesh out the source(s) of the outside interference? What we really talking about?
There's an Enlishman named Richard Pybus big shot caller thinking its him , same guy who banned Narine for being one day late for camp, coming  from Ipl championship game .

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Difficult for Simmons to come back
« Reply #15 on: October 05, 2015, 12:29:11 PM »
http://www.guardian.co.tt/sport/2015-10-04/difficult-simmons-come-back

 
Vinode Mamchan
Published:
Sunday, October 4, 2015

West Indies cricket continues to be embroiled in controversy and although there have been some positives along the way, the negatives have far outweighed them.

The latest blow to West Indies cricket is the battle with coach Phil Simmons. Just months into the job, the Trinidadian has been suspended because of public comments he made concerning the omission of allrounders Dwayne Bravo and Kieron Pollard. Simmons, speaking at a press conference in Barbados, said that the continued omission of Pollard and Bravo had to do with “outside interference.” He was promptly suspended and replaced by Eldine Baptiste as coach for the current tour of Sri Lanka.

Let me say first up, I think that the public outburst by Simmons was out of order and I have no problems with the former Ireland coach being called before a human resource committee.

However, I think that suspending him was the wrong choice. The West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) could have written to him and informed him that his comments in their opinion was out of line and that they could have met with him after the Sri Lankan tour to discuss his concerns.

If at that point they thought that his explanation was not good enough and his comments caused irreparable damage, then they could have gone the route of sending him to the disciplinary committee.

Removing him now at this critical juncture is not going to do anything to take this team forward. In fact in my humble view, I think that the team’s morale has already been affected and this tour to Sri Lanka is going to be very difficult indeed.

Chairman of selectors Clive Lloyd said that Simmons had brought unity and togetherness in the team set up. Now we have a situation where interim coach Baptiste who is also a selector, having to deal with the two players Bravo and Pollard whom he did not support in terms of getting back into the ODI team. This is going to be a difficult position for him and he may well find it very tough to get the players to gel together. This is West Indies cricket and one wishes him well in this new role for the Sri Lankan tour.

I have noticed that Baptiste has been named coach for the entire tour, which ends in mid-November. What is puzzling is that the WICB sent out a statement that Simmons will have to face an investigation. My information is that the investigation will be carried out by the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the WICB, Michael Muirhead and a human resource committee. What if they don’t continue his suspension, then do we replace Baptiste with Simmons midway during the tour, or is the WICB sending a message that he may not come back?

The accusations made by Simmons against three of the selectors (Courtney Browne, Courtney Walsh and Baptiste) is a serious one because what he is actually alleging is that the trio did not act independently. This could cause tremendous discomfort amongst the selection panel and in moving forward the matter of trust will take centre stage.

Simmons has come out as a big man and apologised for his comments but I am afraid it will take more than that to heal this wound. It would take time for the three selectors to come around, whether the WICB wants to give Simmons that time, is yet to be seen.

Then there is the other side of the coin, where if Simmons can substantiate his claims of “outside interference” then the matter could take a completely different turn. Simmons may still end up in front of a disciplinary committee but his breach may attract a not too harsh penalty. Whatever comes out of this now, is going to be of great interest because the WICB would be setting a precedent concerning public outbursts from officials and players.

If Simmons can prove “outside interference” then whoever is called would then have to answer and the situation could be the other way around. 

The next few weeks is going to be very interesting in West Indies cricket and I am sure that the cricketing world is looking on eagerly for Caribbean entertainment.

Let’s hope that good sense prevails in all quarters and West Indies cricket can learn from the mistakes and finally move in the direction we would all like to see.
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Re: Narine, Rampaul return for the WI/Simmo suspened for SL tour.
« Reply #16 on: October 05, 2015, 12:39:44 PM »
Anybody else notice that the same Lloyd, who  earlier this year said that Bravo and KP were being dropped for younger players, despite others the same age and older being retained - is now teh SAME FKKING LLOYD who doesn't think that they're too old and thinks they're imperative to the team despite not having played any top cricket in the last few months.

 :cursing: ::) >:(
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Re: Narine, Rampaul return for the WI/Simmo suspened for SL tour.
« Reply #17 on: October 05, 2015, 02:02:15 PM »
Match fixing and corruption... Manipulate teams and results by selecting weaker teams

A full strength West Indies limited overs team is the best team in the world, if they are allied to play and gel together..

If they have a good coach but that damages the plan of the elite nations, they have to break it apart...

Every time West Indies is about to resurge they mash it up

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Re: Narine, Rampaul return for the WI/Simmo suspened for SL tour.
« Reply #18 on: October 05, 2015, 07:22:43 PM »
Match fixing and corruption... Manipulate teams and results by selecting weaker teams

A full strength West Indies limited overs team is the best team in the world, if they are allied to play and gel together..

If they have a good coach but that damages the plan of the elite nations, they have to break it apart...

Every time West Indies is about to resurge they mash it up

Many a times we pong you for your conspiracy theories. But sometimes I does feel the same way. The big money countries who actually running cricket, don't want a resurgent WI.

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Re: Narine, Rampaul return for the WI/Simmo suspened for SL tour.
« Reply #19 on: December 02, 2015, 03:05:32 PM »
http://www.espncricinfo.com/magazine/content/story/945337.html

Simmo says his piece

Six weeks after the West Indies Cricket Board suspended him as head coach for "inappropriately commenting" on the selection of the ODI squad for the tour of Sri Lanka, Phil Simmons finally laid out his case last week.

In the interim, he was engaged in composing the apology demanded of him by the board for his angry words in an interview with the media, while the WICB itself had been distracted by its unrelated, complex confrontation with the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) sub-committee on cricket over the conclusions of the latest review committee on its governance.

In the spillover of his mounting frustration in the post he took up last March, Simmons, who is one of five national selectors, spoke of "people [who] would use their position to get people into a squad or… get people left out of a squad".

In a lengthy and detailed statement presented to the WICB's chief executive officer, Michael Muirhead, Simmons left no doubt he was referring to the two most powerful men in West Indies cricket at present, board president Dave Cameron and director of cricket Richard Pybus, the Englishman who was hired in October 2013 after brief international stints in Pakistan and Bangladesh.

Simmons' account, accompanied by copies of relevant emails, followed the WICB's decision to reinstate him for the current tour of Australia. The board said that it would "immediately investigate" his charges after which it would take "the necessary and appropriate action".

A copy of his statement has been made available to me by a trusted source.

Simmons was appointed head coach last March after eight successful years with Ireland, the strongest of the ICC's Associates. He thus avoided the turbulence that ensued after the premature withdrawal of the West Indies team from the tour of India in October; at the time he was plotting Ireland's campaign for the World Cup in Australia and New Zealand, where they began with victory over the team he would soon return to.

As the WICB itself will sit in judgement of Simmons' defence, it is likely to be an exercise in futility. He resumes with three Tests against one of the game's powerhouses while the status quo remains. How long he lasts, or is allowed to last, is open to question.

Simmons reported the president as protesting that Bravo and Pollard "walking past him was disrespectful" and asserting that he needed "a statement of commitment" from such players before he could consider them
It is a state of affairs that had its origins in the difficult, inevitably contentious decision to omit Shivnarine Chanderpaul from the two Tests against Australia last June, effectively ending his career after 162 Tests.

It continued through to the choice of a preliminary squad of 22 for the eventually aborted tour of Zimbabwe in August and came to a head when Simmons and chairman Clive Lloyd were outvoted by the other three selectors over their preference for the return of Dwayne Bravo and Kieron Pollard for the three ODIs in Sri Lanka.

In May the selection panel made its call on Chanderpaul, whose guaranteed reliability had deserted him in his previous six Tests, in which he averaged 16. Simmons revealed that Cameron and vice-president Emmanuel Nanthan pressed the selectors to reverse their position when they met on May 22 as the WICB "needed to honour" him. By then Lloyd had written Chanderpaul, advising him of his omission and thanking him for his service to West Indies cricket.

Simmons described Lloyd as "irritated" when Cameron called to tell him Chanderpaul was being flown in from Guyana the next morning to join the preparation camp, insisting that he should be picked for the Australia Tests. The selectors stuck to their guns.

It was Simmons' first experience of the interference that he later said undermined the selection process.

The next conflict came in the naming of the 22 from whom the final 15 would be chosen for the ultimately cancelled ODIs in Zimbabwe in August. Bravo, ODI captain in India when the tour was aborted, and Pollard were among them.

In a July 2 email to the selectors, Pybus opposed their inclusion.

"Bearing in mind they have played no one-day cricket since then [the India tour], I am not sure what justifies them being back on the selection board," he contended. "My concern is that the players you left out originally for reasons to do with lack of loyalty and commitment to WI cricket come back in." Pybus said that he had repeatedly, but unsuccessfully, urged the board to sanction "those responsible" for the India debacle, and he was direct in his criticism of the recall of Bravo and Pollard.

"We can always defend reasoning to the board and press when there is consistent logic to decisions," Pybus emailed. "If you flip-flop on your position, you are going to lose credibility as a panel."

His position was bolstered by Cameron in a teleconference call on July 7, also involving Nanthan, Muirhead and the selectors. It was called by Pybus, who explained its purpose to the selectors.


The omission of Dwayne Bravo and Kieron Pollard from the one-day side was a bone of contention for Simmons   © AFP
"We need to be clear on the strategic direction that you as a panel are taking on the squad because you are reconstituting the same side that walked out in India, and I believe the Pres and the CEO need to be party so that we can understand the potential risk to the organisation," he wrote. "The India strike brought the organisation to its knees and the brink of bankruptcy."

As it was from the start, the BCCI held the WICB ultimately responsible, while a task force set up to review reasons for the debacle blamed the WICB, the players and the West Indies Players Association equally.

According to Simmons, Cameron declared during the teleconference that since Bravo had retired from four-day cricket, he saw no value in picking him for Tests or ODIs. It was a position he deemed should apply to all those who no longer played the WICB's first-class Professional Cricket League. Their only avenue would be T20s.

Simmons reported the president as saying that Bravo and Pollard "walking past him was disrespectful" and asserting that he needed "a statement of commitment" from such players before he could consider them. Neither the selectors nor the full board of directors was mentioned in this regard.

In an email the same day to Pybus, his fellow selectors and captain Jason Holder, Simmons said that when he took up his position he asked for "the chance to have the best squad available for each format of the game".

"We would lay out the road forward and see who wants to walk the road with us," he explained. "We have selected our Test team from the players who wanted to play Test cricket and laid out that road, so now we are selecting our ODI team from players who want to play ODI cricket and doing the same."

Too long away from the intrigue and constant confrontations between board and players that played their part in downgrading the West Indies from No. 1 to the depths of the ICC rankings in Tests and ODIs in his absence, Simmons' expectation was unrealistic.

His nine months back home in the Caribbean have been in stark contrast to his lengthy stay in Ireland, where he was held in high esteem for his success with the national team. He needs all the resilience he can muster, along with the support of the players, to somehow overcome the problems he has had to deal with, and eventually emulate for his national team what he achieved for Ireland.

Tony Cozier has written about and commentated on cricket in the Caribbean for over 50 years

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.
 
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