Symonds want to take green bagy cap
England regained the Ashes with a 197-run win over Australia in the fifth and final Test at the Oval on Sunday. Victory, achieved with more than a day to spare, saw England take the five-match series 2-1. England victory’s left Ponting with the unwanted record of becoming only the second Australia captain, since Billy Murdoch in 1890, to be in charge of two losing Ashes tours of England. And it also knocked Australia off top spot in the Test rankings.
With Australia losing their grip on the Ashes, troubled all-rounder Andrew Symonds has added further insult to the injury by criticizing the world champion’s team culture that led to his unceremonious ouster from the national side. Symonds, who has been watching the Ashes on television, said the rigid team rules still rankle him.
According to the Daily Telegraph, Symond quoted ” “I suppose you like to go out on your own terms. But the way I was, that I am, and the way the game was headed … if you can’t sit in the pub and watch a football game over a beer, if that’s upsetting team rules and harmony, there’s no place for me anymore ”
“I’m not bitter. I’m not angry. It was just the way it unfolded. Now I can go and watch my footy team play and relax doing it. I would have liked to have gone out on my own steam, but it’s not a train smash, mate. It’s one of those things.
“I’m a keen Broncos supporter. They’ve been great to me, they’ve welcomed me with open arms. I’ve found it interesting to sit in on team meetings and see how they go about preparing for a game,” he added.
Symonds said although he is upset with the way he was thrown out of the Australian team, he still desires to wear the baggy green
The 34-year-old all-rounder met Queensland cricket chief Graham Dixon and expressed his desire to play for the domestic side once again, a decision which was inspired by a casual chat with former Test opener Matthew Hayden.
“I know when I came back I still had the passion to play Test cricket – I wouldn’t have bothered training otherwise. I wouldn’t have bothered trying to get fit again. But I’m happy with life now. It’s water under the bridge. I didn’t plan for it to end the way it did.”