Flowing locks, loud grunts and loads of gusto, this is Andrew Symonds to you. Born in the streets of, Birmingham, England, who could have ever imagined that he would one day be seen making lives miserable of individuals from his birth place. Well known for his ability to hit huge sixes way over the bowler’s head and then to throw down off-breaks as well as mediums at the other end, Symonds has been one of Australia’s greatest finds and by far the best all-rounder this country has produced. He could have easily played for England if he wanted but his eyes were always set on the baggy green cap. He started off playing for county teams and was included in Gloucestershire when he was about 20. It took no time for him to make his presence known in English cricket after he had bashed 16 sixes against Glomorgan in Abergavenny and created a new world record. But for Symonds, he couldn’t care less for it, he was just out there to play his game and make sure that his team won and that’s just what he had done and that too with a sense of panache.
But international cricket was still far away for him, he still had miles to go before he could flash the willow or hold the cherry. In the words of his old coach, Bryan Toot, Symonds “wasn’t in control of his shot-selection … he’d get 24 off an over and then get out on the last ball of that over.” But it wasn’t too long before the Australian side heard of this person who has been demolishing attacks all over the ground and obliterating the opposition. And so Symonds made his One Day International debut on November 10th against Pakistan at Lahore. But things didn’t get any better there onwards. For 5 whole years he went through this rollercoaster of going in and out of the One Day side as he frittered away golden opportunities that came along his way. All he needed was one good innings to get things back in shape and he finally got that on the best day possible. It was Pakistan versus Australia in the first round of the 2003 World Cup, the opposition had ripped through the top order and the Ozzies were looking down the barrel. That’s when walked in Andrew Symonds. This was his time to shine and he did so with elegance. He sculpted a masterly 143 not out of 125 balls and led his side to an emphatic victory. From that day onwards, there was no looking back, since then, he had made 762 runs only at the age of 23 and has averaged around 45 till date.
It was a matter of time before he finally got what he had been yearning for throughout his life, his very own, baggy green cap. On March 8th 2004, he made his international test debut against Sri Lanka at Galle. He wasn’t able to make his mark during the series in Sri Lanka and was dropped from the side as well. But as the Ashes approached, Symonds was given another much needed golden opportunity and was included back into the side. This time he made sure he left no stone unturned and went on to make a career high 156 at the 2nd game in the MCG with his partner and fishing mate, Matthew Hayden. He added another feather to his cap when he was awarded the One Day International Player of the Year in 2005
Nicknamed ‘Roy’, Symonds has created a huge fan following with his huge sixes, flowing dreadlocks and amiable character. A quintessential part of the Australian side, this Queensland larrikin will have his eyes set on the upcoming World Cup 2007 and is bound to do everything in his power to make sure they win it.
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