Riled up for nothing: Skerritt throws support behind Simmons

PRESIDENT of Cricket West Indies (CWI) Ricky Skerritt said the job of West Indies coach Phil Simmons is secure and he is the best man for the job, after the president of the Barbados Cricket Association (BCA) Conde Riley called for him to be fired because he left the West Indies camp to attend the funeral of his father-in-law.

Skerritt, talking to journalists, on Zoom, on Wednesday, said, “I want to use this opportunity to assure West Indies cricket fans and cricket lovers everywhere that Phil Simmons still has the full backing of CWI behind him no matter what has been said and when all is said and done Phil’s job is not in any way threatened by that said letter.”

According to an espncricinfo.com article, Riley said the decision by Simmons to attend the funeral was “inconsiderate and reckless” and claimed it has “endangered the lives” of the rest of the touring party. West Indies are currently in England preparing for a three-match Test series bowling off on July 8.

Simmons went into isolation for five days when he returned to the West Indies camp on Friday.

Simmons was permitted to attend the funeral before the tour began and the process was managed by CWI and the England and Wales Cricket Board.

In a media release, on Sunday, CWI said Simmons had two covid19 tests since returning from the funeral and both were negative. He was expected to have another Test on Wednesday.

Skerritt said Simmons is the most capable man for the job. “Phil Simmons went through a very vigorous recruitment process nine months ago and was the best man we could have found for the job. He is still the best man to be in charge of this touring squad.”

The CWI president said he is confident that the Caribbean is supporting Simmons and captain Jason Holder in this tour to defend the Wisden Trophy.

Skerritt confirmed that Simmons was permitted to leave the team for the funeral. “Prior to the start of the tour coach Simmons had already sought and was given the necessary permission from medical officials to leave the team’s base. The entire process of his exit and re-entry to the bio-secure location was approved and managed by the medical teams of the CWI and the England and Wales Cricket Board and strictly followed all protocols set up in advance to address such scenarios.”

Skerritt said all players and staff while on tour are allowed compassionate leave. He said this situation should “have never been controversial in any way.”

Simmons said this is a trying time for his family.

“My wife was very close to her father and his passing has hurt us.”

He said he had to be there for his family. “For me and my family, there was no question of me not going to the funeral because it is a very, very hard time for us and my wife, my daughters and my son needed that support and just as we try to build our family, and family is a huge thing for me, that is the same thing we are trying to build inside here (West Indies cricket). It is a family and everyone supporting everyone.”

Simmons said if this is an aim to break up the camp it has not worked and he has put that behind him.

“This was an occasion where I had to do what was right for my family, just as I would do what is right for CWI for the rest of this series.”

President of the TT Cricket Board Azim Bassarath supports Simmons on his decision. “Simmons is a responsible gentleman and I know him to be very careful in everything that he does and I am quite sure he would have liaised with the medical panel to leave the environment.” Bassarath said Simmons lost someone close to him. “We must also take into consideration that it is his father-in-law who passed away, someone he would have grown accustomed to over the years...I don’t see anything wrong in him attending the funeral.”

Riley supported former CWI president Dave Cameron in the 2019 CWI elections, but Cameron lost to Skerritt. The TTCB president said he would not say that Riley’s comments were politically influenced. “I would not want to go to that length.”

Bassarath said Riley is a “respectable man in Barbados” and “the election has gone more than a year.”

“As a responsible individual, he would be serving cricket genuinely and if that (election) is in his mind he would have to respect now and accept the fact that Mr Skerritt is the president of the board.”

Former CWI director Baldath Mahabir also has no issues with Simmons leaving the team. “Once Mr Simmons got the permission and would have known the consequences of it in terms of what he must do before he goes, when he goes and when he comes back into the bubble, I don’t see any problem with that at all.”