Symonds was the stumbling block of many Lankan defeats

Andrew Symonds batting against Sri Lanka

 Andrew Symonds celebrating victory over Sri Lanka in the 2003 World Cup semi-final with Ricky Ponting and Brett Lee

By Sa’adi Thawfeeq

If there is one innings that kept Australia’s hopes of winning the 2003 Cricket World Cup alive it was Andrew Symonds’ unbeaten 91 against Sri Lanka in the semi-final played at St George’s Park, Gqeberha.

Australia had slumped to 175-7 and Chaminda Vaas, the Sri Lankan seamer had his tail up with the key wickets of Ricky Ponting and Mathew Hayden, but Symonds however patiently built as wickets fell around him, including Michael Bevan for a duck, before unleashing at the death to help Australia post a competitive score of 212-7. Symonds smashed seven fours and a six in his 118-ball innings that saw Australia move into the final courtesy of the Duckworth-Lewis rain rule to win by 48 runs. Symonds also held onto an awkward catch to help dismiss the dangerous Sanath Jayasuriya and take the Man of the Match award. There were many such awards this colourful cricketer was to win against Sri Lanka in contests between the two countries.

In that World Cup campaign which Australia went onto win by beating India in the final, Symonds notched up 326 runs from five innings for a batting average of 163.

Symonds, who died in a car crash in Queensland on Saturday night at the age of 46, proved to be a thorn in the Sri Lankan side as he thwarted the island nation from winning many matches with his powerful batting.

Another innings that stands out is that brutal 151 off 127 balls at Sydney that saw Australia win by 167 runs and square the VB one-day series 1-all and go onto win it in the third and final game at Brisbane. Ponting and Symonds shared a stand of 237 to catapult Australia to a match-winning total of 368-5. 

Muttiah Muralitharan was belted for 99 runs - the most expensive ODI figures in a ten-over spell - and he was driven for six over long-on by Symonds, who also launched him into the Members' Stand as part of his collection of 13 fours and three sixes. The bowlers took over the demolition work under lights and bowled Sri Lanka out for 201 to end the match with 14 overs to spare.  “It's got to be one of the greatest comebacks and most dominating performances,” Adam Gilchrist said after the match and Ponting couldn’t have agreed more. “It's one of the best batting displays you've ever seen. Andrew Symonds played a very special innings and to post this score after being three for 10 was spectacular,” said Ponting. It was another eye-catching performance that won Symonds the match award.

In another match winning innings of 66 off 61 balls (five fours, four sixes) of the VB series at Melbourne in 2006 Symonds took the Man of the Match award. It was one of those days when everything that Symonds tried came off, even when he mistimed his strokes the result was the same.

Symonds also played a big role in Australia retaining the World Cup in 2007 in the Caribbean when they beat Sri Lanka in the final. He scored an undefeated 63 in the Super Eights match at St George’s, Grenada and made a contribution with the ball to pick up the final wicket of the final at Bridgetown – Lasith Malinga stumped by Gilchrist for 10 as Australia won by 53 runs on the Duckworth-Lewis rule.

During Australia’s two successful 50-over World Cups in 2003 and 2007 Symonds played a total of 18 matches and scored 515 runs (avg. 103) and had a strike rate of 93.29. He was adaptable to any situation of the game either showcasing his skills at the backend of an innings to help his team post a big total or chase down a formidable target.

It was in the one-day game that Symonds displayed his all-round skills and was renowned around the world. He played in only 26 Tests in comparison to the 198 ODIs he represented Australia in an 11-year period. 

Few will recall that his Test debut was against Sri Lanka at Galle in 2004. Symonds fell victim to Muralitharan on both occasions being dismissed for a duck in the first innings and 24 in the second. He also turned his arm over with his gentle medium-pacers to capture the prize wicket of Mahela Jayawardene for 68.

A wonderfully talented all-rounder the entire cricket world mourns his death.