Leaked news - Symonds being sent home from Darwin

Deary me. Would seem Roy just cannot shake the teenager out of himself. While we don't know yet, it would seem most likely that this is a disciplinary matter, and that usually means Roy has been out par-taying.

skully wrote:Deary me. Would seem Roy just cannot shake the teenager out of himself. While we don't know yet, it would seem most likely that this is a disciplinary matter, and that usually means Roy has been out par-taying.

Like AD can't shake himself out of his teenagers?

Recovering well I see taccy. Your feistiness has been missed by some (but not by others )

You know Roy was in trouble for going fishing, eh?

Fishing for something that at least smelled like fish?

well, I heard something about a can of worms . . ..

As long is wasn't a basket of crabs.

From cricinfo. IF this is correct, seems harsh to send him home.


Symonds sent home after going fishing
Brydon Coverdale in Darwin
August 30, 2008

Australia's leadership group has recommended that Andrew Symonds fly home ahead of the ODI series against Bangladesh © AFP

Andrew Symonds has been sent home from Australia's one-day series in Darwin after missing a team meeting and optional training session due to an early morning fishing trip. Symonds will take no part in the three-game series against Bangladesh following a decision from the team leadership group late on Friday night to send him home to Brisbane.

Symonds' passion for fishing is well documented and he is believed to have taken to the water early on Friday. When a team meeting was called later that morning, Symonds did not know about it as he was already wetting a line. An optional training session was held at the Marrara Cricket Ground on Friday, which he had already decided not to attend.

The scenario ahead of a Bangladesh game is worryingly familiar for Symonds, who in 2005 was told not to play in Cardiff after turning up to the ground under the influence of alcohol. Australia went on to lose that match, the only time they have been defeated by Bangladesh in an ODI.

Michael Clarke, Australia's stand-in captain for the Darwin series, was adamant on Friday that there was no chance Australia would take Bangladesh lightly again. "I guarantee that definitely won't happen," Clarke said before the Symonds decision was made. It left Australia with only 12 players available for the first one-day game, although a replacement will join the squad for the remaining two matches.

The team's management is believed to be tiring of Symonds' misdemeanours, including failing to board the team bus in the Caribbean in June after sleeping in. In the past year Symonds has also been outspoken about not touring Pakistan and been involved in the race row with India's Harbhajan Singh at the SCG. In the aftermath of the Sydney event Cricket Australia cut one of his columns for a Sunday newspaper and Symonds was also disappointed the players did not receive more backing from their employers.

Following the Australian season he became the highest overseas signing with the Indian Premier League, joining the Deccan Chargers for US$1.35m. The Australian international players were desperate to appear in the tournament, despite previously complaining about overload, and had to deal with more of Cricket Australia's administrative concerns.

Symonds' most famous fishing incident came in 1999 when he went out with Matthew Hayden and their boat sank off Queensland's North Stradbroke Island. The men were forced to swim for more than an hour through Moreton Bay in areas well-known for sharks. On that occasion everyone was relieved the pair returned in good health.

Additional reporting by Peter English
Brydon Coverdale is a staff writer at Cricinfo

I think it's more though, as I posted in a thread which was ridiculed some months ago, that the management is tiring of his attitude towards the game and his teammates.

It's good that you agree with yourself RedRob

Red wrote:as I posted in a thread which was ridiculed some months ago,

Couldn't you narrow it down a bit?

lardbucket wrote:

Red wrote:as I posted in a thread which was ridiculed some months ago,

Couldn't you narrow it down a bit?

Do a search of Red's posts and exclude "Smith"

How long does it take to go fishing in darwin - FFS don't they just toss in a stick of dynamite and then pick them up off the top??

embee wrote:

lardbucket wrote:

Red wrote:as I posted in a thread which was ridiculed some months ago,

Couldn't you narrow it down a bit?

Do a search of Red's posts and exclude "Smith"

Nothing came up

"Andrew Symonds has been sent home from Australia's one-day series in Darwin after missing a team meeting and optional training session due to an early morning fishing trip "... and ... "
When a team meeting was called later that morning, Symonds did not know about it as he was already wetting a line. An optional training session was held at the Marrara Cricket Ground on Friday, which he had already decided not to attend."

Something doesn't quite ring true here.

The team meeting that was called was clearly an impromptu one .... and the training session was optional !

So what's his sin ?
As an avid fisherman meself, I can understand his attraction to fishing new areas where perhaps he hasn't fished before. Nothing wrong with that ...

Surely he told someone he was going ... however if he didn't then fair do's, smack his
wrist and kick his arse.
But to dump on him because he missed an impromptu meeting and an optional training session is a bit harsh IMO.

Perhaps there is more to the story ....
* a touch of the green envy from the rest of the team for the $ 1.35 million
he's collecting from the IPL ?
* teach him a lesson time ....

Either way, a bit OTT - and welcome news for England next year if his exile is extended!