Thursday, March 06, 2008

Bull!

TEST all-rounder Andrew Symonds is at odds with Cricket Australia bosses - but he's not allowed to tell you why.

His column filed for today's The Sunday Mail attacked administrators, who last night pulled the article.

Under Cricket Australia rules, all players writing newspaper columns must have their material read then approved by CA media director Peter Young.

Young last night told The Sunday Mail: "There are inaccuracies in the column – Andrew does not understand the full story.

"I cannot provide approval for publication. He needs to be briefed on the situation. There will be a player briefing next week."

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ANDREW Symonds' column will no longer appear in The Sunday Telegraph.

After twice being gagged by Cricket Australia, Symonds has been bullied into believing the only way to do a column with this paper is to have it ghost-written by cricket officials.

This paper had no interest in running a column that is not only vetted by Cricket Australia but also written by its employees.

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Does this mean that when Symonds wrote this

INDIA is never an easy place to tour, but I am surprised at how hostile it has been.

There has been quite a bit of feeling between the two sides, and now that it has started, I can't see things changing greatly. We certainly won't be taking a backward step.

The feeling has come from the carry-on that surrounded India's World Twenty20 win. When we got here, it was just everywhere.

Our blokes thought it was over the top. Some of the things their players have been given and the way they are treated, it's like they are rock stars and princes.

The Indian Government gave them a heap of money. Yuvraj Singh got a Porsche. Blokes are getting houses and blocks of land.

It was all over the papers and even the Indian hockey team blew up. Two days before our first game, the Indian players didn't train because their guys were shooting commercials.

It's been irritating because it's been in our face. We see them on television every day.

and ostensibly said this
"The thing is, we've only been playing them for five minutes," Symonds said.

"They're saying they've built up this new Indian team, but we'll see how much they've changed at the end of our summer.

"OK, they've beaten us in a Twenty20 game and one one-dayer in four years. You can't gauge much on that, but we'll see how this so-called new Indian team goes on our soil."

The Indians have won just one Test in 26 years in Australia - a four-wicket win in Adelaide in 2003.

"You don't become a great player overnight and it's the same as a team: you need sustained success to be respected.

"When other sides say you're a great side, that's when you're a great side," Symonds said.

"They've got some world-class players but it's how they gel together. As soon as we spot one sign of weakness or selfishness, that's when we go in for the kill."

the CA was onside?

Whatever happened to the CA knowtowing to every Indian whim and fancy?

10 comments:

Prabu said...

Homer,

Reading this bit in the same article, don't you think it is amusing that Symonds finds it all in the game to taunt the 12th man but gets irritrated when the 12th man taunts him!

(I was surprised that Sreesanth said something to me (he taunted Symonds when he was dismissed in game four, allegedly saying: "Hard luck, you're going to lose".)

I was wild. I was really angry when I got out and then for him to run past and say things I didn't think were right. I thought: "Right, I've had enough of this bloke".

I won't go into exactly what he said. I don't want to squeal about it. I'm over it, but there was certainly no need for it.

We've had our moments with him. When he was dropped, he ran out at the drinks break, and I said: "I see you're 12th man today." He laughed and said: "No, I'm actually 14th man," so he got me a good comeback.)

Anonymous said...

Prabu,

He wants to be captain of the Australian team and based on his comments, he is ideally suited for the role :)

Cheers

Viswanathan said...

You nailed them. Good work.

Anonymous said...

Ott,

I have merely echoed them.The fact is, they are oblivious to thier own contradictions :)


Cheers

Viswanathan said...

I wouldn't say they are oblivious.

They (CA) let it pass uncensored when it suits them. For example, when a player criticizes India or the BCCI.When it comes to being criticised, they censor them.

Anonymous said...

Yes Ott, but for a body that prides itself in being the best run Cricket organization in the world, you would expect a bit more of due diligence.

And then there is the whole nonsense about the CA being the BCCI lackey. Just like there is the whole nonsense about the ICC being run by the BCCI. If that were the case, would India be the most penalized nation in cricket?

Cheers

Viswanathan said...

The BCCI is a scapegot for all the wrongs.
The pity is the BCCI is letting that image fester.

Anonymous said...

Homer

Read this if you haven't already.

http://deccanherald.com/Content/Mar62008/sportscene2008030555743.asp

Sangu

Anonymous said...

Thanks for the link Sangu :)

Soulberry said...

Bit of a shame how the Australian carousel continues to go round and round with its endless pointlessness.

Sorry mate, but we don't buy your brand, no matter how hard you try to sell it to the world. There's some better stuff going around.