Cricket West Indies official calls for Phil Simmons' removal

LONDON: A Cricket West Indies (CWI) official has called for the removal of Phil Simmons as the coach of the team after he moved out of the team's bio-secure environment to attend his father-in-law's funeral.

Simmons is with the West Indies team who are preparing to take on England in a three-match Test series starting on July 8.

Simmons had taken permission from CWI for attending the funeral and the board had allowed him to do so. Conde Riley, who also heads the Barbados Cricket Association (BCA), said that Simmons' actions endangered the lives of the players in his side. "I am being bombarded by concerned parents and members of the BCA. This behaviour is inconsiderate and reckless. It endangers the lives of those 25 young men in the UK and in fact the entire management team and cannot be tolerated," Riley was quoted as saying by 'ESPNcricinfo'. "The English press will have a feast on his judgement and I suggest we act swiftly."

Nine of the 14 players in the West Indies squad are from Barbados. The series is set to be played in a bio-secure environment with entry and exit from the bubble strictly monitored.

CWI said in a statement that Simmons' movement was approved. Additionally, Simmons has been in self-isolation and has undergone two tests for coronavirus since Friday.

"He will have another test on Wednesday before he will re-join the squad as they prepare for the three-match #RaiseTheBat Series against England." England skipper Joe Root has been given permission to leave the team for the birth of his second child, due to which he will not feature in the first Test in Southampton," said CWI. (IANS)

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