Simmons in race to become next WI coach

TT's Phil Simmons, and a pair of ex-Barbados and West Indies batsmen and captains, Desmond Haynes and Floyd Reifer, are in the race to become the next full-time WI men's cricket team coach, according to a media release from Cricket West Indies (CWI) earlier today.

The trio were narrowed down from a pool of six candidates, who participated in interviews conducted by a CWI panel, comprising vice-president Kishore Shallow, director of cricket and another ex-WI skipper Jimmy Adams, human resources manager Oneka Martin-Bird, independent director Debra Coryat-Patton and UK-based coaching educator Gordon Lord.

The media release pointed out that the final round of interviews, which is set to be completed by October 11.

The 56-year-old Simmons, who had coaching stints in Zimbabwe, Ireland and Afghanistan, is currently the coach of Caribbean Premier League (CPL) outfit Barbados Tridents. He served as WI coach from 2015-16 before he was fired due to "differences in culture and strategic approach".

In March 2019, Simmons reached an "amicable resolution" with CWI, including accepting financial settlement of an undisclosed sum.

Haynes, half of the famed opening duo with countryman Gordon Greenidge, skippered the WI team during the 1990 tour of Pakistan and also served as a batting consultant with the team in 2011.

Reifer is the interim coach of the team, following the removal of Englishman Richard Pybus in April 2019, and guided the team during the 2019 ICC Cricket World Cup and the home series against India. He also served as WI captain in 2009.