Andrew Symonds' family and friends honour him in Townsville during the first ODI between Australia and Zimbabwe. (Cricket Australia)During the first ODI match between Australia and Zimbabwe in Townsville at Riverway Stadium, Andrew Symonds’s family paid tribute to the late cricketer.
Andrew Symonds died in an auto accident in May near Townsville. He was 46.
Fans, players, family and friends stood in silence before the match before further tributes to the charismatic allrounder were held at the innings break.
Andrew Symonds’ children Chloe and Billy, have been made honorary members of the Australian cricket team.
Andrew Symonds’ children Chloe and Will walking out with Aaron Finch and Steve Smith at the start of play today ❤️ #AUSvZIM pic.twitter.com/NUBbKAoTot
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) August 28, 2022
Chloe and Billy walked out with Aaron Finch and Steve Smith and stood with the players during the national anthems while also running out the water during drinks breaks.
For Roy ❤️#AUSvZIM pic.twitter.com/bLWNtjJ7zl
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) August 28, 2022
The outfield was emblazoned with Roy 388 – Symonds’ nickname and Test cap number – in memory of the former allrounder. Symonds’ Akubra hat, crab pot and fishing rod sat alongside his beloved baggy green as country classics ‘Hey True Blue’ and ‘Take Me Home, Country Roads’ blared across the Riverway Stadium’s sound system.
A tribute fitting for one man, and one man only. #AUSvZIM pic.twitter.com/zjVvE4yx25
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) August 28, 2022
Both teams formed a guard of honour as the grieving party walked out to the pitch and placed his baggy green and cricket bat on the stumps along with some of his favourite things.
“A really sad time obviously for Australian cricket over the last little while, it’ll be nice to have some tributes and his family here and stuff like that,” Australian captain Aaron Finch said before the game.
Symonds played 26 Test matches for Australia from 2004-2008, posting two centuries, but he was better known as a limited-overs specialist. He played 198 one-day internationals for Australia and won World Cup titles in 2003 and 2007.
The 2007-2008 season was his most prolific in test cricket and was capped by superb innings of 162 against India at the Sydney Cricket Ground.
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In one-day internationals, among his best innings was an unbeaten 143 from 125 balls against Pakistan at the 2003 World Cup when he was far from established in the Australian team.