Simmons leaves tour of NZ to be with ill mother

Ireland coach Phil Simmons will leave Ireland's tour of Australia and New Zealand and return to his native Trinidad & Tobago to be with his ill mother. Cricket Ireland announced on Tuesday that Simmons is expected to depart Ireland's current training base in Christchurch on Wednesday to fly back home.

Assistant coach Peter Johnston will take charge of the Ireland squad for their final match of the eight-match tour when Ireland takes on Otago on Thursday in Lincoln. Simmons is the second member of the Ireland traveling party to leave their pre-World Cup acclimatisation tour early following captain William Porterfield, who flew home on October 16 for personal reasons.