Symonds Turns His Back On Australia (19 Apr 1996)

19 April 1996

Symonds turns his back on Australia

By Charles Randall

ANDREW SYMONDS signed a three-year contract with Gloucestershire yesterday, taking the heat out of the debate surrounding his England eligibility.

The six-hitting Queenslander took steps to satisfy his fellow players on the county circuit that his future lay in England. He convinced Gloucestershire on the telephone before his arrival, but faces a fight to win over Ray Illingworth and his England selectors.

Illingworth said last summer there would be "no second chances" when Symonds declined to tour with the England A side in Pakistan at a time when he hoped for Australian selection.

Symonds, 20, will soon be presented with a new Test and County Cricket Board declaration, which all county players must sign, acknowledging their availability for England.

The dual-qualified Symonds appeared to have made up his mind on arriving at Heathrow yesterday.

Philip August, Gloucestershire`s secretary, said the county had insisted he must abide by the spirit of the agreement and he hoped the "hounding" of Symonds would stop. "He`s clear in his understanding he is available for England," August said.

Events probably helped Symonds`s decision, because he had a poor domestic season in Australia this winter and failed to make their World Cup squad.

Symonds has built a much better reputation as a batsman in England than in his home country, especially after hoisting his world record 20 sixes in a match for Gloucestershire against Glamorgan at Abergavenny last summer.

Source :: Electronic Telegraph (https://www.telegraph.co.uk)