ST JOHN’S – Former West Indies fast bowler Curtly Ambrose has questioned the dismissal of Phil Simmons as head coach on the eve of the team’s series against Pakistan in all formats.
Ambrose, who was fired as bowling consultant in May, has criticised the timing as poor.
Simmons, a former West Indies all-rounder, was fired hours before the players boarded a flight for the United Arab Emirates to play Pakistan in three T20s, Three One-Day Internationals and the same number of Tests.
“The timing is wrong, to be quite blunt,” declared Ambrose.
“This happened when we went to Sri Lanka last year as well, when Simmons made a statement about interference in team selection and, about two or three days before we left for Sri Lanka, they suspended him, which was wrong.”
Simmons’ sacking has triggered condemnation from an increasing number of cricketers and officials.
They include cricketers Kieron Pollard and Darren Sammy, who was sacked as T20 skipper after leading the West Indies to two T20 World titles, commentator Fazeer Mohammed, and Grenada’s Prime Minister Keith Mitchell.
“If you weren’t happy with the things he said, why pull a coach off a [tour] two or three days before?” asked Ambrose.
“All they had to do was maybe send him some correspondence saying they were not happy and they would deal with it when he gets back, and now this time around, it’s the same thing.”
West Indies face Pakistan next Friday in their first T20.
Ambrose believes the firing of Simmons represents a threat to team morale.
“The morale of the team can’t be good, because when you would have at least had a camp and then you learn one or two days before departure that your coach isn’t going to be around because he’s been fired, it must send the wrong message,” he said. (CMC)
