| Craig Simmons | |
| Fullname: | Craig Joseph Simmons |
| Birth Date: | 1 December 1982 |
| Birth Place: | Paddington, New South Wales, Australia |
| Nickname: | Simmo |
| Heightm: | 1.70 |
| Batting: | Left-handed |
| Bowling: | Slow left arm orthodox |
| Role: | Batsman |
| Country: | Australia |
| Club1: | Western Australia |
| Club2: | New South Wales |
| Year2: | 2005/06–2006/07 |
| Club3: | Western Australia |
| Year3: | 2008/09–2014/15 |
| Club4: | Perth Scorchers |
| Year4: | 2013/14–2014/15 |
| Club5: | Adelaide Strikers |
| Year5: | 2014/15–2015/16 |
| Columns: | 3 |
| Column1: | FC |
| Column2: | LA |
| Column3: | T20 |
| Matches1: | 7 |
| Matches2: | 21 |
| Matches3: | 29 |
| Runs1: | 187 |
| Runs2: | 501 |
| Runs3: | 711 |
| Bat Avg1: | 15.58 |
| Bat Avg2: | 23.85 |
| Bat Avg3: | 25.39 |
| 100S/50S1: | 0/1 |
| 100S/50S2: | 0/3 |
| 100S/50S3: | 2/0 |
| Top Score1: | 60 |
| Top Score2: | 98 |
| Top Score3: | 112 |
| Deliveries1: | 120 |
| Deliveries2: | – |
| Deliveries3: | 84 |
| Wickets1: | 1 |
| Wickets2: | – |
| Wickets3: | 3 |
| Bowl Avg1: | 72.00 |
| Bowl Avg2: | – |
| Bowl Avg3: | 29.33 |
| Fivefor1: | 0 |
| Fivefor2: | – |
| Fivefor3: | 0 |
| Tenfor1: | 0 |
| Tenfor2: | – |
| Tenfor3: | 0 |
| Best Bowling1: | 1/37 |
| Best Bowling2: | – |
| Best Bowling3: | 2/26 |
| Catches/Stumpings1: | 3/– |
| Catches/Stumpings2: | 4/– |
| Catches/Stumpings3: | 5/– |
| Source: | https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Players/44/44276/44276.html CricketArchive |
| Date: | 19 May |
| Year: | 2019 |
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]
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.