Symonds finds the perfect runner
Alex Brown reports in the Sydney Morning Herald that Andrew Symonds took the chance in Jamaica to catch up with another sporting superstar, Asafa Powell.
Brydon Coverdale
25-Feb-2013
Alex Brown reports in the Sydney Morning Herald that Andrew Symonds took the chance in Jamaica to catch up with another sporting superstar, Asafa Powell.
On a sweltering morning in Kingston, Symonds and Stuart Karppinen, Australia's strength and conditioning trainer, assumed the roles of spectator as Powell continued his comeback from a chest injury in the shadows of Long Mountain. Both snapped photographs and compared observational notes as the Commonwealth Games gold medallist - who has broken 10 seconds for the 100m a staggering 33 times and holds the world record at 9.74 - went through his paces.
Though dreadlocks are de rigueur in this part of the world, Symonds's trackside presence did not go unnoticed. The burly Queenslander's shoulder charge, which floored an errant streaker at the Gabba earlier this year, attracted as much discussion as his exploits with bat and ball. Powell, for his part, was delighted by the Australian's visit.
"Everybody knows who he is and what he's done," Powell said. "He's a great player. With travel and training it, can be hard to keep up with the cricket, but I'll definitely try to get down to Sabina Park this week to watch him."
In the same paper, Brown looks at the new-look Australia line-up being used in the first Test, which includes some faces from the past.
Brydon Coverdale is an assistant editor at ESPNcricinfo. He tweets here