Sports
Andrew Symonds dies in car crash
Australian all-rounder Andrew Symonds was killed in what police said was a single-car crash on Saturday night outside Townsville, on the north-eastern coast of Queensland, Australia. Police confirmed that the 46-year-old died at the scene of the mishap.
“Early information indicates, shortly after 11 pm (Australian time) the car was being driven on Hervey Range Road, near Alice River Bridge when it left the roadway and rolled,” the police statement said.
“Emergency services attempted to revive the 46-year-old driver and sole occupant. However, he died of his injuries. The Forensic Crash Unit is investigating.”
Symonds’ sudden death triggered an outpouring of emotional tributes in the cricketing world with a host of past and present players, including his Australian teammates and international stars, expressing shock and disbelief at the tragic news. His death follows in quick succession after compatriots Shane Warne and Rodney Marsh – due to heart attacks – in a triple whammy for Australia.
Born on the 9th of June 1975 in Birmingham to West Indian-European parents, Symonds grew up in Australia. He started his Cricket career for Queensland in 1994 where he scored 5000 runs and took more than 100 wickets.
He first grabbed attention in 1995 when, as a 20-year-old, he smashed a record 20 sixes for Gloucestershire against Glamorgan. It didn’t fructify immediately on the international stage, mostly for his temperament as he would admit later. “I was a man without a map when I went out to bat.”
Symonds’ old coach Toot Byron commented that he hated watching him bat. “He wasn’t in control of his shot selection. He’d get 24 off an over and then go out on the last ball of that over” Byron added.
Ten years later, Symonds came through for Australia after Ricky Ponting put faith on him at the 2003 World Cup. This was exactly the kind of break Symonds was eying. Among a masterful 143 off 125 balls against Pakistan, Symonds had a dream run during the tournament with many such invaluable knocks.
However, the roller-coaster ride had only started. In 2006 he was suspended for drinking issues. He bounced back in the 2007-08 season as an all-rounder. He scored 777 runs in nine Tests against Sri Lanka, India & West Indies.
He was the first one to embrace the 20-over format when the IPL came into existence in 2008, and one of the costliest players in the auction. His Deccan Chargers failed miserably in the first season, but went on to win the next season.
Disciplinary issues crept up again though. The infamous ‘Monkeygate’ altercation with Harbhajan Singh and alcohol problems before the 2009 T20 World cup proved to be his undoing.
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