Jones goes into bat for troubled Symonds

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Former Australian cricketer Dean Jones has questioned whether cricket authorities have been too hard on Andrew Symonds by sending him home from England for going AWOL.

"I think he is probably too Australian. He just had a beer and supported Queensland's big win over NSW ... He left the hotel without telling anyone," Jones told Radio 3AW today.

"Can you imagine that in the old days with Dennis Lillee or Jeff Thompson having to tell the manager where they were going? It's a security reason for whatever reason. But they're in England aren't they?"

Symonds went missing from Australia's team hotel in an indiscretion described as the "final straw" resulting in the troubled cricketer being sent home before the Twenty20 world championships.

"Broadly speaking, he broke team rules. He broke team rules by going out when he wasn't suppose to, by ... leaving the hotel without advising where he had gone, all of that is in breach to team rules," Cricket Australia's general manger of public affairs Peter Young told Radio 3AW today.

But Jones today questioned whether players would want to continue playing for Australia with such restrictive rules.

"Is he being nailed too hard on this one? Evidently he's just had one or two drinks. They never said he was drunk.

"If they are nailing him on the fact he has had a drink or turned up drunk or whatever well we've got a problem ... but for God's sake, if you can't leave your hotel?

"I know there's security and I can understand in Pakistan and India, gee but do you have to tell management where you are going everywhere now? I'd hate that.

"It's a team rule evidently; I don't know who's brought it in. But I wouldn't like to be playing for Australia if I've got those team rules.

"If he's got drunk, I'd have no hassles throwing the book at him.

"I just find it's Big Brother telling you what to do at the moment."

Jones predicted Symonds would now go on and make plenty of money by playing in the Indian Premier League and other competitions.

"Do many kids want to play for Australia now when there is so much money available elsewhere? The tradition of playing for Australia has completely changed."

TheAge

Banished Symonds says 'fair bit to consider'

BRISBANE, Australia, June 6, 2009 (AFP) - Disgraced cricketer Andrew Symonds arrived here Saturday saying he had "a fair bit to consider" after being ordered home from Australia's tour to England on disciplinary grounds.

The international playing career of the 33-year-old all-rounder is in doubt after Cricket Australia pulled him out of the World Twenty20 tournament on Thursday for breaking team rules.
CA chief executive James Sutherland said the breaches, some related to alcohol use, were the "final straw" for the trouble-prone player.

Symonds declined to answer questions but read a brief statement to a large media contingent at Brisbane airport early Saturday after his flight from London.

"I've got a fair bit to consider I suppose and I appreciate you all coming out here this morning and I will come out and make a full proper statement when I've gathered my thoughts and sat down with friends," Symonds said.

He was driven away from the airport by former Queensland teammate Joe Dawes.

Sutherland said Symonds' central contract, which he retained only last month, was also under review.
His lucrative playing contract with the Indian Premier League has a year remaining.

Australian media has been unanimous in saying that the bad boy of Australian cricket has been given enough chances after a turbulent career beset by persistent off-field misdemeanours.

The groundswell of public opinion on talkback radio and newspaper on-line polls has also been largely in step with the media condemnation of the player.

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