Simmons was a lower-order right-hand batsman and a right-arm
off break bowler. A sharp close fielder, he played into his late 40s. He was a late arrival to county cricket at the age of 28, but he enjoyed a 20-year career in which he was a regular part of the Lancashire side. His flat bowling trajectory and his accuracy meant that he could be economical in one-day cricket, and he was part of the successful Lancashire side that won the
Gillette Cup, the premier one-day competition in England, for three years in a row from 1970 to 1972. Simmons and slow left-arm bowler
David Hughes were the first pair of spin bowlers to be used regularly and successfully in one-day cricket, which had previously been the preserve of seam bowling. In
first-class cricket, Simmons reliably contributed more than 500 runs and 50 wickets in many seasons. Even at the age of 47, he took 63 wickets in 1988. The affection for "Flat Jack" in Lancashire was shown by his
1980 benefit, which raised £128,000. He was a
Wisden Cricketer of the Year in 1985. In 1972–73, he was invited to
Tasmania as
captain of the state side, whose first-class matches were restricted to games against touring sides. In six seasons as captain, Simmons led
Tasmania into full first-class status and into the
Sheffield Shield competition from 1977–78. ==Later life==