ST.JOHN’S, Antigua, CMC- The CEO of the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) Michael Muirhead says Phil Simmons has not yet been reinstated as head coach of the West Indies team, although a resolution seems to be in sight.
“We agreed to certain conditions in principle about how to go forward.”
Muirhead appears to be responding to reports in the regional media following a meeting between Simmons and the WICB Human Resource Committee after his public outburst in which he questioned the make-up of the One-Day International squad.
However the Trinidad Guardian newspaper, which did not report that Simmons was reinstated, quoted “well-placed sources” within WICB as confirming that he will resume his post as head coach.
“There has been no formal reinstatement,” Muirhead told ESPNcricinfo from Antigua.
“We agreed to certain conditions in principle about how to go forward.”
Muirhead has confirmed receiving a written response from Simmons concerning terms set out by the WICB to the former Windies allrounder prior to possible reinstatement.
The CEO says the WICB will issue an official response on Tuesday and that he was positive about a fruitful outcome.
“They did not respond to me for quite a number of days. I just received their response over the weekend,” Muirhead said.
“It is about dotting the i’s and crossing the t’s. What we are doing is making sure that all protocols and everything is agreeable to both sides in terms of language and the steps that we will take going forward.”
Simmons was suspended for saying there was “too much interference from outside” in the selection of the ODI squad.
The former Windies allrounder was upset that allrounders Dwayne Bravo and Kieron Pollard, whose services are in high demand in Twenty20 leagues around the world, failed to make the one-day international squad.
Simmons was appointed West Indies coach immediately after the 2015 World Cup and during his stint West Indies drew the Test series against England in April and put up a spirited fight against Australia in June despite losing the series 2-0.
