Andrew Symonds
Andrew Symonds (born 9 June 1975) is a former Australian cricket team all-rounder. A two-time World Cup winner, Symonds is a right-handed middle order batsman and alternates between medium pace and off-spin bowling. He is also notable for his exceptional fielding skills. Since mid-2008, he spent most of the time out of the team, due to disciplinary reasons, including alcohol.In June 2009 he was sent home from the 2009 World Twenty20, his third suspension, expulsion or exclusion from selection in the space of a year. His central contract was then withdrawn,[2] and many cricket analysts speculated that the Australian administrators would no longer tolerate him, and that Symonds might announce his retirement.On 16 February 2012, Symonds announced his retirement from all forms of cricket, in an attempt to concentrate on his family life
Early life:
One of Symonds’ biological parents was of West Indian background and the other was believed to be of Danish or Swedish descent. Symonds’ adoptive parents Ken and Barbara moved to Australia shortly after his adoption, when he was three months old. Of the adopted siblings, Louise Symonds participated in Gladiators. He also has two non-adopted siblings. He spent the early part of his childhood in Charters Towers, northern Queensland, where his father Ken taught at the private fee paying All Souls St Gabriels School, which Andrew attended. He showed sporting prowess from a very early age. “Dad was cricket mad. Hed throw balls to me five or six days a week, before school, after school. And wed play all sorts of games inside the house with ping-pong balls and Christmas decorations.”Much of his junior cricket was played in Townsville for the Wanderers club, father and son making the 270-kilometre return trip sometimes twice a week.The family later moved to the Gold Coast, where his parents were on the staff of All Saints Anglican School in Merrimac. Symonds was a student at the school.
Career highlights:
Tests
Debut: Against Sri Lanka Galle, 200304
Best Test bowling figures: 3/50 (South Africa, Melbourne, MCG, 200506). Best Test batting score: 162* (India, Sydney, SCG, 3 January 2008).
One-day Internationals
Debut: Against Pakistan, Lahore, 199899
Best ODI bowling figures: 5/18 (Bangladesh, Manchester, Old Trafford, 2005) Best ODI batting score: 156 (New Zealand, Wellington, Westpac Stadium, 7 December 2005)
World Records
Symonds holds the world records for the most sixes hit during a first-class innings (16) and during a first-class match (20), both set while playing for Gloucestershire against Glamorgan as a 20-year-old. His first innings score was 254 not out.
