Simmons back as WI coach

PHILLIP "Phil" Simmons has been re-appointed as West Indies men's cricket team coach, according to a media release from Cricket West Indies (CWI) this afternoon.

The 56-year-old Simmons, who guided the Barbados Tridents to victory in the 2019 Hero Caribbean Premier League (CPL) title on Saturday, served as WI coach from 2015-2016 before he was fired due to "differences in culture and strategic approach".

Simmons, who previously held coaching roles with Zimbabwe, Ireland and Afghanistan, has been given a four-year contract from the CWI. He got the nod from the CWI recruitment panel (which included CWI vice-president Dr Kishore Shallow, director of cricket Jimmy Adams, human resources manager Oneka Martin-Bird, independent director Debra Coryat Patton, director Enoch Lewis and independent consultant Dr Rudi Webster) ahead of ex-WI captains, Barbadians Floyd Reifer (who was the previous interim coach) and Desmond Haynes.

In an interview published on today's Newsday, Simmons, still beaming from his CPL victory, said, "I would love to be back. We all hoping for good news."