Craig Joseph Simmons (born 1 December 1982) is an Australian former professional cricketer. He played domestically for Western Australia, New South Wales, Perth Scorchers and Adelaide Strikers. At grade cricket level, he plays for Rockingham-Mandurah in the WACA district competition, having previously played for Fremantle in WACA district matches and Gordon in Sydney Grade Cricket matches.[1] A left-handed batsman, Simmons represented the Australian national under-19 side at the 2002 Under-19 World Cup, playing seven matches.[2] At the tournament, he scored 155 runs from 115 balls against Kenya's under-19 team, contributing to Australia's total of 6/480 from 50 overs and eventual win by 430 runs.[3]
| Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Full name | Craig Joseph Simmons | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | 1 December 1982 Paddington, New South Wales, Australia | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Nickname | Simmo | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.70 m (5 ft 7 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Batting | Left-handed | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Bowling | Slow left arm orthodox | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Role | Batsman | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Domestic team information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2003/04–2004/05 | Western Australia | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2005/06–2006/07 | New South Wales | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2008/09–2014/15 | Western Australia | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2013/14–2014/15 | Perth Scorchers | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2014/15–2015/16 | Adelaide Strikers | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Career statistics | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Source: CricketArchive, 19 May 2019 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Simmons made his first-class debut for Western Australia in December 2003, against Victoria at the WACA Ground in Perth.[4] He transferred to New South Wales for the 2005–06 season, and regularly played ING Cup matches, as well as top-scoring for New South Wales in the final of the inaugural KFC Twenty20 Big Bash season, which the team lost to Victoria.[5] Playing only twice at state level the following season, Simmons' Cricket NSW contract was not renewed for the 2007–08 season, and he subsequently returned to Western Australia,[6] breaking into the side for a small number of games during the 2008–09 and 2011–12 seasons.[7]
After good form for Rockingham-Mandurah at district level, Simmons replaced the injured Liam Davis in the Perth Scorchers' squad for the 2013–14 Big Bash League season.[8] In his fourth game for the Scorchers, against the Adelaide Strikers in mid-January 2014, Simmons scored a century from 39 balls, breaking the record for the fastest Big Bash League century.[9] He was dismissed shortly after, finishing with 102 runs from 41 balls, with his innings including eight fours and eight sixes.[10] In the team's semi-final against the Sydney Sixers, Simmons scored another century, 112 runs from 58 balls.[11] He thus became the first player to score two centuries in Big Bash League matches,[12] and also equalled Chris Gayle's competition record of eleven sixes in a match.[13] As of that match, he has a strike rate of 176.51 runs per 100 balls, the best of any player who has faced over 125 balls in the competition.[14] He subsequently signed for the Adelaide Strikers for the 2014–15 and the 2015–16 BBL seasons.
References edit
- ^ "Player Profile". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 4 November 2009.
- ^ Under-19 ODI matches played by Craig Simmons (7) – CricketArchive. Retrieved 16 January 2014.
- ^ Australia Under-19s v Kenya Under-19s, ICC Under-19 World Cup 2001/02 (Group D) – CricketArchive. Retrieved 16 January 2014.
- ^ "First-Class Matches played by Craig Simmons". CricketArchive. Retrieved 4 November 2009.
- ^ New South Wales v Victoria, KFC Twenty20 Big Bash 2005/06 (Final) – CricketArchive. Retrieved 16 January 2013.
- ^ "Simmons goes home to Western Australia" – ESPNcricinfo. Published 19 May 2008. Retrieved 16 January 2014.
- ^ List A matches played by Craig Simmons (14) – CricketArchive. Retrieved 16 January 2014.
- ^ "Adam Voges’s return to Perth Scorchers squad approved" – The Cricket Country. Published 2 January 2014. Retrieved 16 January 2014.
- ^ "Big Bash League: Perth Scorchers opener Craig Simmons blasts record century" – Sydney Morning Herald. Published 16 January 2014. Retrieved 16 January 2014.
- ^ "Craig Simmons smashes century off 39 balls for Perth Scorchers in Big Bash League" – couriermail.com.au. Published 16 January 2014. Retrieved 16 January 2014.
- ^ Alex Malcolm (2014). "Simmons 112 powers Scorchers to final" – ESPNcricinfo. Published 5 February 2014. Retrieved 5 February 2014.
- ^ Big Bash League / Records / List of hundreds – ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 5 February 2014.
- ^ Big Bash League / Records / Most sixes in an innings – ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 5 February 2014.
- ^ Big Bash League / Records / Highest strike rates – ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 5 February 2014.