Simmons rejoins Windies team

PHIL SIMMONS, coach of the West Indies cricket team, has rejoined the squad ahead of the first Test against England, after being in mandatory quarantine and clearing the covid19 tests in Manchester, following his decision to attend the funeral of his father-in-law last Friday.

In a media release on Thursday, Cricket West Indies (CWI) said, “Phil Simmons is back on the job. The West Indies head coach returned to the field with his players on Thursday after his mandatory quarantine and covid19 tests.

“He was part of the warm-up and pre-match preparations as West Indies continued their four-day warm-up match at the Old Trafford,” it further stated.

On Tuesday, Barbados Cricket Association president Conde Riley called on Simmons to be fired after left the team's bio-secure location, but CWI president Ricky Skerritt, on Wednesday, noted, "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."

The first Test against England is scheduled from July 8-12.