Jacobi: Simons didn't have the power to strip me of captaincy

Somerset cricket chairman Charlotte Simons did not possess the authority to unilaterally strip Jacobi Robinson of the captaincy.

The long-serving official is alleged to have “removed” the injured Robinson as Somerset’s captain and “suspended” him for the remainder of the season during a meeting with the club’s senior cricketers.

Simons vehemently denied the claims.

Robinson, though, begs to differ.

He said: “I was told by my team-mates that the chairman had a meeting with them.

They told me that she said that due to me abandoning the team I am unavailable for selection for the rest of the season. They told me I had been removed as captain.”

According to club policy, only the executive has the authority to appoint or relieve the captaincy from a player if they so choose to.

”The chairman can say or do whatever they please, but they cannot remove someone as captain. They can only make recommendations,” stated one club insider.

”Only the committee that appointed Jacobi as the captain can take that privilege away from him. Jacobi is Somerset’s captain until the executive decide otherwise.”

Leading the team in Robinson’s absence on an “interim basis” is national team bowler Jordan DeSilva.

Somerset’s executive will review the captaincy, among other things, over the off-season to determine whether to stick with Robinson or opt for change.

The 25-year-old all rounder has already indicated that he would like to remain in charge for at least another season. But there is growing speculation that his days as Somerset’s captain could be behind him.

A severe case of tendonitis in his right knee has limited Robinson to making only a handful of appearances on the pitch this summer.

And it is believed Somerset cricket chairman Simons may have been unaware of the extent of the player’s injury when she allegedly declared he was no longer captain.

Outgoing Somerset Cricket Club president Richard Scott dismissed the whole ordeal as a simple “misunderstanding” and categorically stated that Robinson remains his club’s captain.

The former national player says his heart remains with Somerset, but has not ruled out switching allegiances next season.

Premier sides Southampton Rangers and Willow Cuts are among those having already expressed interest in having Robinson join their ranks.

The player characterized Simons’ alleged comments as offending and also took issue with coach Winston Reid, who publicly lambasted his team’s senior players after Somerset was relegated from the Premier Division earlier this summer.

Robinson said: “A lot of the players feel that the coach has not lived up to his own expectations. He expects us to do things, but there are certain things that he hasn’t done that has caused us to be in the situation that we are in.

“There are a number of other reasons why we were relegated. It was not only the players’ fault and I just feel that everybody needs to take responsibility for Somerset getting relegated.” Coach Reid declined to comment.