Ricky Ponting and Sachin Tendulkar have led the tributes to their former team-mate Andrew Symonds following his death in a car accident at 46.
He was one of Australia’s greatest all round cricketers and a hugely popular member of each dressing room he was a part of, including at four counties, as proved by the outpouring of heartfelt sympathy from around the world. Affectionately known as ‘Roy’ or ‘Simmo’ the hard-hitting middle order batsman, was also a multi-skilled spin and seam bowler and an outrageously athletic fielder who won two World Cups alongside Ponting in 2003 and 2007.
“If Roy shook your hand you had his word,” said Ponting, still reeling from the passing of Rod Marsh and Shane Warne less than three months ago.
“That’s the sort of bloke he was and that's why I always wanted him on my team. An extraordinary player and even better human being. Can’t believe he’s gone. Thoughts are with his family at this time.”
Symonds played for the Mumbai Indians with Tendulkar in 2011 after three tournaments with the Deccan Chargers and the icon tweeted: “Andrew Symond’s demise is shocking news for all of us to absorb. Not only was he a brilliant all-rounder, but also a live-wire on the field. I have fond memories of the time we spent together in Mumbai Indians. May his soul rest in peace, condolences to his family & friends.”
Born in Birmingham before being adopted by parents Ken and Barbara as a baby, the Symonds family emigrated to Australia soon after and he made his mark as a cricketer of rare quality. A return to England to play for Gloucestershire in 1995 was so successful that he was picked for England A, only to turn it down, because there was no truer an Aussie than Symonds and it was only a matter of time before he got his chance to play international cricket for them.
His finest day across 26 matches wearing the Baggy Green came in the Boxing Day Test in 2006 when his maiden hundred was scored with his great mate Matthew Hayden at the other end. There were tough times for him too though as his mixed Afro-Caribbean/Scandinavian heritage posed racial issues growing up in Australia as well as on the field during the 2008 ‘monkeygate’ scandal involving Harbhajan Singh and an alleged racial slur.
He struggled to cope with the fallout that ultimately led to his subsequent removal from the Australian setup. Symonds and Singh put the incident behind them as IPL team-mates, but its impact on his international career remained.
After retiring, Symonds carved out a successful media career, and in 2017 in Townsville your correspondent saw first hand the magic of Roy. Hosting a lunch at the England warm up match ahead of the Ashes, Symonds revealed how nervous he was about dealing with a room full of blokes on a day out, and how he would rather have been in the audience.
He needn’t have worried. Just 20 minutes later he had the room in the palm of his giant hands, laughing at each quip and story about cricketers and the game from one of their own. He leaves behind his wife Laura and two children, Chloe and Billy.
