Andrew Symonds was an Australian cricket legend who died in a car accident at 46. The tragedy has caused national grief.
He was a retired all-rounder who died on Saturday at 10.30pm in Hervey Range in far north Queensland. His vehicle had left the road and it rolled.
Queensland Police stated that emergency services tried to save the sole driver, 46-year old, but he succumbed from his injuries.
Investigations are ongoing into this accident.
Andrew Symonds, an Australian cricket legend and a half-century after his career ended in great success, has been killed in a single car accident at 46.
Symonds, an ex-all-rounder and retired player, died Saturday at 10.30pm in Hervey Range (50km west of Townsville) when his vehicle left the roadway and was rolled.
Symonds’ loved ones confirmed Symonds’ death, and they thanked their friends and supporters for their support.
Just a few short weeks ago, Shane Warne had a devastating heart attack and died while on holiday with his family in Thailand.
In an unexpected twist of fate Symonds posted his last Instagram tribute on March 5th, hours after Warne died.
‘Devastated. This is all a terrible dream. It’s so hard to believe that I won’t see you again. He said, “I’m speechless. I love all my Warne family.”
The friends spent New Year’s Eve last year at The Esplanade Hotel, St Kilda with Michael Hussey their ex-teammate.
Andrew Symonds (pictured left) is known for knocking over a streaker during an 2008 match in Brisbane against India.
Symonds, pictured in a Test match in Tasmania 2007, was one of the most beloved cricket characters at the height of his career.
Mark Taylor, the former Australian captain, was just one of many sports personalities who paid tribute.
‘I can’t quite believe it,’ he said. “Another sad day in cricket.”
Rod Marsh stated that bad things can happen in threes earlier this year. Shortly after, Shane Warne was mentioned and Simmo is now.
‘I took Symo out one day fishing here on Sydney Harbour with ‘The Cricket Show’ many years ago and just watching him flow a fly lure around boats was great to watch. When it came to cricket, he was a great entertainer.
Symonds teammates Adam Gilchrist, Jason Gillespie and Damien Fleming also expressed shock at the terrible news.
“Horrendous news for you to wake up. Territorially devastated. Gillespie posted, “We are all going to be missing you mate.”
Gilchrist wrote simply, “This really hurts,” while Fleming said, “This is so devastating.” Roy was so much fun to have around.
Allan Border, the man who commanded the national team throughout the 1980s and 1990s, also praised the all-rounder’s swashbuckling spirit.
Border noted that his laid back style was appreciated by many. He was from Townsville. According to my conversation with him, he may have still managed to milk a hundred heads of cattle.
Symo loved solitude. He loved fishing and he preferred to be away from all the attention. The time he had to himself.
Isa Guha was a cricket commentator who spoke out for all when she said, “WTF is happening on …’?”
Symonds was an iconic cricket character during his playing career. He then went on to become a Fox Sports commentator.
Between 1999 and 2007, he played 26 Tests and was an integral part of Australia’s winning one-day team in 2003 and 2007.
He was regarded by many as the greatest fielder of all time in the game, and he left a lasting legacy.
Clarke and Symonds had been friends when Symonds posed for the World Cup trophy with Australia’s 2007 win. They fell out one year later. Symonds now admits that money and jealousy fuelled their split.
Symonds shared this smiling snap on Instagram September 2020, with the caption: “Dad got all the treatment this morning. Thank you so much!” Ah and I think it’s father’s day tomorrow too’
He was born in Birmingham, England and adopted as a child by Ken Symonds, an English teacher.
The family immigrated to Australia as a child and lived in Victoria for a while before moving on to the Gold Coast and north Queensland.
Symonds’ British heritage and Afro-Caribbean roots meant that Symonds could have played for England and the West Indies. However, Australia would always be Symonds first and last choice.
He was one of the most outstanding players in cricket. His aggressive play and great timing made him one of the best batsmen on earth.
Highlights of his career include saving Australia the 2006 Boxing Day Ashes Cricket Test with a stunning knock of 56 – the first century of the long-form game. He also scored 162 against India 2008 in high scoring matches. His best career performance was 5/18 at a 2005 one dayer.
He held the record at one point for the most first-class sixes and it opened eyes to the potential of a T20 batter. In 2004, he scored a century using only 34 balls.
Symonds unleashes the kind of powerstroke he is known for in Australia’s 2005 match against World XI, Melbourne
Symonds was also arguably, the greatest cricket fielder, possessing lightning reflexes, an incredibly precise throwing arm, and a fifth-place finish on the list for most run outs in ODI cricket. He had the fourth best success rate.
Ricky Ponting (Australian captain), who led Symonds for most of his career called Ponting “the best fielder” he’d ever seen.
For his whole career, he had distinctive brown dreadlocks. In what was to become his trademark look, he also shielded his lips against the sun using glowing white zinc.
Symonds established his reputation as a man who doesn’t mince words in March 2008 by slaying a streaker against India at Gabba.
“It was more frustration than anything. Symonds admitted that she wasn’t trying harm him. Symonds was speaking in the book On Sport, which Mike Colman (respected veteran sportswriter, columnist for Daily Mail Australia) published.
Pictured: Andrew Symonds and Katie Johnson attend the Johnnie Walker All Star Party in 2008
Symonds is pictured with NRL and All Blacks star Sonny Bill Williams. Symonds was one the most loved characters in cricket at the height of his career.
Symonds’ hard-charging and bold style was paired with an affable spirit that made him a headliner.
One time, he arrived to a Cricket Australia contract meeting naked and wearing a cowboy helmet in tribute to his famed love for Australia’s outdoors.
Mark Taylor summarised him well shortly after hearing the sad news.
“He just wanted to get out and play the sport he loved as a kid. He got into trouble sometimes for not training, or perhaps having too many drinks. But that was how he lived and how he played his cricket.
He was not one who would blindly follow the instructions of cricket authorities. Instead, he fought with Michael Clarke, his old mate, and they never got along again.
In 2008 Symonds, who had chosen fishing to a team meeting in Darwin, was forced home by Clarke from their mateship. Clarke was then Test captain.
Symonds loved Australia’s tropical north. He was an avid hunter and fisherman who often took his companions to the highest point of the country in order to live the bush life.
Clarke had already been in a nasty run-in during his West Indies tour.
I threw him a drink. Symonds explained that Symonds didn’t ask me to get into bed. He said another thing, but I did throw a drink on his head and what he had to say put me in a rage.
Symonds quit the game in 2009 and pursued his passions for hunting, fishing, and moving about the Australian bush’s tropical northern.
His role was in Bollywood films, his commentary for Fox Sports Australia, Big Brother India, as well as commenting on Fox Sports Australia’s Indian edition. He even played in rugby league games, after nearly switching to this sport in 2002.