Andrew Symonds facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Andrew Symonds

Symonds in 2008, sporting his trademark zinc oxide sunscreen on his lips
Personal information
Born	(1975-06-09)9 June 1975 Birmingham, West Midlands, England
Died	14 May 2022(2022-05-14) (aged 46) Hervey Range, Queensland, Australia
Nickname	Roy, Symo
Height	187 cm (6 ft 2 in)
Batting	Right-handed
Bowling	Right-arm medium Right-arm off break
Role	All-rounder
International information
National side	Australia (1998–2009)
Test debut (cap 388)	8 March 2004 v Sri Lanka
Last Test	26 December 2008 v South Africa
ODI debut (cap 139)	10 November 1998 v Pakistan
Last ODI	3 May 2009 v Pakistan
T20I debut (cap 11)	17 February 2005 v New Zealand
Last T20I	7 May 2009 v Pakistan
Domestic team information
Years	Team
1993/94–2009/10	Queensland
1995–1996	Gloucestershire
1999–2004	Kent
2005	Lancashire
2008–2010	Deccan Chargers
2010	Surrey
2011	Mumbai Indians
Career statistics
Competition Test ODI FC LA Matches 26 198 227 424 Runs scored 1,462 5,088 14,477 11,099 Batting average 40.61 39.75 42.20 34.04 100s/50s 2/10 6/30 40/65 9/64 Top score 162* 156 254* 156 Balls bowled 2,094 5,935 17,633 11,713 Wickets 24 133 242 282 Bowling average 37.33 37.25 36.00 33.25 5 wickets in innings 0 1 2 4 10 wickets in match 0 0 0 0 Best bowling 3/50 5/18 6/105 6/14 Catches/stumpings 22/– 82/– 159/– 187/–
Source: ESPNcricinfo, 15 May 2022

Andrew Symonds (born 9 June 1975 – died 14 May 2022) was a famous Australian international cricket player. He was known as an all-rounder, meaning he was great at both batting and bowling. His teammates often called him "Roy".

Symonds was a key player in the Australian team that won two World Cups. He was a powerful right-handed batsman who hit the ball hard. He could bowl either medium-pace or off-spin (a type of bowling). He was also famous for his amazing fielding skills.

Andrew Symonds sadly passed away in a car accident in 2022. He was 46 years old.

Early Life of Andrew Symonds

Andrew Symonds was adopted by his parents, Ken and Barbara, when he was three months old. His family moved to Australia when he was a toddler. He grew up in Charters Towers, Queensland, where his father taught at a school.

From a young age, Andrew showed a lot of talent in sports. His father loved cricket and would practice with him often. Andrew started playing junior cricket in Townsville. When he was 12, his family moved to the Gold Coast. At 15, he played his first senior cricket game for the Gold Coast Dolphins and scored an amazing double century.

Cricket Career Overview

Andrew Symonds was a strong right-handed batsman. He could also bowl off spin or medium pace, making him a true all-rounder. He was an incredible fielder. Many experts said he was one of the best fielders they had ever seen. He was quick, had great reflexes, and could throw the ball very powerfully and accurately.

His nickname "Roy" came from a coach who thought he looked like a basketball player named Leroy Loggins. In 1995, after playing for an English county team called Gloucestershire, Symonds won an award for being the best young cricketer. He chose to play for Australia internationally, even though he could have played for England.

Playing for Teams in Australia and England

Australian State Cricket

Symonds played for the Queensland state team in Australia. He scored over 5,000 runs and took more than 100 wickets for them. He was a key player in their wins, even being named "man of the match" in a big final in 2002.

Playing for English Counties

Symonds also played for several English county teams: Gloucestershire, Kent, Lancashire, and Surrey.

In 1995, he set a record by hitting 16 sixes in one game for Gloucestershire. This was part of his amazing score of 254 runs not out. This record for sixes stood for many years!

Time with Kent

Between 1999 and 2004, Symonds played for Kent. He became very well-known in T20 cricket, which was a new format back then. In 2004, he hit a super-fast century (100 runs) in just 34 balls for Kent. This was the fastest T20 century in the world at that time! He scored 112 runs in just 37 minutes, helping Kent win the game easily.

He played many matches for Kent, scoring thousands of runs and taking many wickets. Kent fans even voted him as their greatest overseas player in white-ball cricket.

Indian Premier League (IPL)

In 2008, Symonds joined the Indian Premier League (IPL) team Deccan Chargers. He was one of the most expensive players in the league at that time. He scored a fantastic 117 runs not out in one game. Later, in 2011, he played for the Mumbai Indians.

International Cricket Career

Becoming a World Cup Star

Andrew Symonds could have played for England or the West Indies because of his background. But in 1995, he decided he wanted to play for Australia. His first international game was in 1998 for Australia against Pakistan.

At first, he struggled to make a big impact in international games. However, his amazing fielding always stood out. In 2003, he was chosen for Australia's 2003 Cricket World Cup team. The captain, Ricky Ponting, really believed in him.

In the very first match of the 2003 World Cup, Symonds scored an incredible 143 runs not out against Pakistan. This helped Australia win and was a turning point in his career. He continued to play well, scoring 91 not out in the semi-final. Australia went on to win the World Cup without losing a single game! After this, people saw Symonds as a true star in one-day cricket. He scored 326 runs in the tournament and was unbeaten in three of his five innings.

Becoming a Regular Player

After the World Cup, Symonds became a regular player for Australia in One Day Internationals (ODIs). He also made his Test debut in 2004 in Sri Lanka. Test cricket was a bit harder for him at first, especially against spin bowlers.

In 2005, he was called back to the Test team. He showed his skills by scoring 72 runs and taking wickets in a match against South Africa. For his great performances in 2005, he was named in the "World ODI XI" (a team of the best ODI players) by the ICC.

Symonds batting against South Africa in 2006

In 2006, Symonds continued his strong form in ODIs. He was named "Player of the Match" multiple times. In a final against Sri Lanka, he scored 151 runs, helping Australia set their highest ever ODI score. Australia won the series, and Symonds was named "Player of the Series" for his excellent batting and bowling.

2007 World Cup Success

After a brief injury, Symonds returned to the Australian team. In a Test match in 2006, he scored his first ever Test century (100 runs). He reached 100 with a six and ended up scoring 156 runs.

Symonds on the way to his maiden Test hundred in 2006

He was selected for the 2007 Cricket World Cup squad. Even though he had an injury, he recovered quickly and played in Australia's final group match. Australia made it to the final against Sri Lanka. Symonds scored 23 runs not out, and Australia won the World Cup again!

Playing Against India

Symonds playing for Australia against India in 2008

In 2008, during a Test match against India, Symonds scored his second Test century. He came in to bat when Australia was struggling, and he scored 162 runs not out. This was a fantastic effort that helped his team.

Career Highlights

Andrew Symonds had many amazing moments in his cricket career.

Tests

• Debut: Against Sri Lanka in 2004.
• Best bowling: 3 wickets for 50 runs (against South Africa, 2005–06).
• Best batting: 162 runs not out (against India, 2008).

One Day Internationals

• Debut: Against Pakistan in 1998.
• Best bowling: 5 wickets for 18 runs (against Bangladesh, 2005).
• Best batting: 156 runs (against New Zealand, 2005).

Records and Achievements

• Symonds once held the world record for hitting the most sixes in a first-class innings (16) and in a first-class match (20).
• He is one of only 22 players in history to have scored over 5,000 runs and taken more than 100 wickets in One Day International (ODI) cricket.
• He was named as an all-rounder in Australia's "greatest ever ODI team."

Beyond Cricket

Rugby League Interest

Andrew Symonds was a big fan of the Brisbane Broncos rugby league team. At one point, he even thought about switching from cricket to rugby league. He played a game for a local team and trained with the Brisbane Broncos.

Media Appearances

Symonds also appeared in the media. He had a small role in a 2011 Bollywood movie called Patiala House. In the same year, he was a contestant on an Indian reality TV show called Bigg Boss. After his cricket career, he worked as a guest commentator for Big Bash cricket matches.

His Passing

Andrew Symonds died in a car accident on 14 May 2022, near Townsville, Queensland. He was 46 years old. His car left the road and rolled over. Paramedics tried to help him, but he passed away at the scene.

Cricket matches around the world observed a minute's silence in his memory. Fans also started a tribute called "Fishing Rods for Roy," encouraging people to leave fishing rods and cricket balls outside their homes. This honored his love for fishing and cricket.

See Also

• List of Australia One Day International cricketers
• List of Australia Test cricketers
• List of Australia Twenty20 International cricketers

Images for kids

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  Symonds batting against South Africa in 2006

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  Symonds on the way to his maiden Test hundred in 2006

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  Symonds playing for Australia against India in 2008