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Time for Symonds to make his mark in Test cricket

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Pablo Luna - Moonlighting for Betfair. Pablo looks at the career of the scruffiest man in international cricket - Andrew Symonds

Queenslander Andrew Symonds (9 June 1975) was born of West Indian heritage in Birmingham, England and he is now cementing himself into the Australian Test side set-up.

Some people have found it hard to take him seriously as a Test player with his scruffy and drunken derelict look but not those who play against him. He comes from the same pod as Andrew Flintoff. Symonds is our Freddie Flintstone equivalent. There are many similarities between these two and I don't just mean their drinking activities.

There is an Australian name for these two called 'larrakin'. Its literal translation is a 'mockery of authority and disregard for rigid norms of propriety'. It seems to fit these two perfectly, revelling in their impact style of playing cricket!

Dreadlocked Symonds was eligible for England and the West Indies but he chose the yellow and gold of his adopted country. He has always been regarded as an ODI player until recently and you can understand why but there has been a change in his personality and attitude to the extent he now craves Test Cricket.

He has assumed new responsibility and is now more than a fringe player. With a new era of Australian cricket commencing in Brisbane on 8th November against Sri Lanka, his presence will be of added importance.

His ODI record is excellent and he boasts 25 fifties, 6 centuries at a thundering strike rate of 93.54 with an average of 40.99. These runs come behind a great top order and with a great sacrificial attitude for the team. His strength of mind, ability to bat anywhere in the order and to bowl anywhere in an innings makes him a captain's dream!

His fielding is world class. He has effected the most run outs of any fieldsman in ODI cricket. He is also much more than merely a "useful" bowler, bowling either off-spin or medium pace, claiming 124 wickets.

And he is world famous for his liking of hitting big sixes which have been his undoing in the past but there is a calculation about him these days resulting in his extended run in the Australian Test and ODI set up. Some consider him the greatest ODI player at the moment.

His 13-match Test career, which has not really taken off is more moderate, scoring just one century and two fifties at an average of 27.26. This statistic does not paint a true picture as he has only batted close to a declaration or at the end of an innings with no chance to look at the bowling first. This may change whilst the newcomers to the Test side acclimatise and I am sure he will finish his Test career on a higher mark than he started it.

He is sure to be involved in the current series with Sri Lanka and can be guaranteed to make a significant contribution with bat or ball. Australia are clear and deserved favourites at (1.53) with Betfair to win the first test on Symonds home track at the Gabba with (3.9) for the draw.

An improbable win for the tourists is trading at (10.5). I do not know what you think but unless Sri Lanka bat first and bat well they will have little chance to break their duck for a series win in Australia, I have already layed them with Betfair at (9) and sleep very easy thank you very much...

To read more about Andrew Symonds or any other Australian Test player go to:

http://www.cricket.com.au/

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