Andrew Symonds lashes out at cricket administrators
One of the most exciting yet controversial cricketers of recent times, Andrew Symonds believes that he was forced onto the sidelines as he was not enjoying the sport as he had initially.
In an interview with a leading sport channel, the outspoken Australian lashed out at the administrators of the game for letting the row between him and Indian spinner Harbhajan Singh turn ugly.
The two players were at each other’s throat during the Sydney test in 2008, in a fractious series that was eventually won by the Australians.
The temperamental Harbhajan had an altercation with the burly Aussie on day three of the Test.
During the altercation, Bhajji called Symonds a monkey, and was handed a three match ban that was later overturned. Symonds now feels that he was hard done by and made to look like a fool by cricketing administrators.
"If truth, honesty and common sense had prevailed, then there would have been a punishment for the player," Symonds said, he added, "It would have been dealt with, and it would have set a precedent for the future. But I don't think
it has done that".
Symonds, who was known for his match turning knocks due to his amazing ability of scoring big runs, claimed that the Board of Control for Cricket in http://www.senore.com/Cricket/India-c750 used its influence on the ICC to protect Harbhajan Singh.
He feels that he and his teammates "were made to look like idiots" when the ban was reversed. "I think Cricket Australia was intimidated by the Indian cricket board.
"The thing, I think, that was grinding on me the most was the lying. Because the allegation was that this hadn't happened, and it had. Then the lies started, and then it became political. The captain [Ricky Ponting] was made to look
like a fool, and that should have never happened, and the other players too.”
"If truth, honesty and common sense had prevailed then there would have been a punishment for the player. It would have been dealt with and it would have set a precedent for the future."
The incident made headlines across the world and was threatening to turn into a major scandal for cricket with the Indians threatening to pull out of the series against http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Australia-c746.
Eventually the series went on and the hosts won. However, the rejuvenated Indian team bounced back superbly to win the ODI tournament, stamping their authority over the hosts in the best of three final series.
Symonds still admonishes the events of the series and feels that Cricket Australia handled the matter badly, and the mismanagement had its repercussions on him and his teammates. "It was really like a courtroom slugfest in the end.
And I think the way our side was put across, it wasn't as accurate as it needed to be. We probably missed a couple of points, which in the end cost our side dearly."
Since then, Symonds has maintained a poor disciplinary record and has been sent back from tours more than once cutting short what was once regarded as a very promising career.
The burly all-rounder has played 26 tests and 198 ODI for Australia. He averages 40 with the bat in the longest format of the game and 39 in the ODI format.
The 35-year-old represents the Deccan Chargers in the Indian Premier League. He smashed a belligerent century in the first season of the league in 2008 and has been a pivotal member of his team.
His poor disciplinary record and the intense competition in the Australian team means that he would struggle to make a return to international cricket, and many feel it is the loss of the game more than his.
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