Sydney: Former Australia cricketer Andrew Symonds, one of the finest all-rounders and a two-time World Cup winner, has died in a tragic car accident, leaving the cricketing world in shock.
He was 46 and is survived by his wife and two young children.
Cricket Australia has now lost three prominent figures in the past two months. Spin legend Shane Warne and former wicketkeeper Rodney Marsh had died within hours of each other in March.
According to a statement issued by Queensland police, the accident happened in Hervey Range Road, about 50 km outside Townsville in northeast Australia on Saturday night.
An attacking batter, who could also bowl both medium pace and spin and an outstanding fielder, Symonds featured in 26 Tests, 198 ODIs and 14 T20Is in a successful career between 1998 and 2009.
He helped Australia win the ODI world Cups in 2003 and 2007 and was one of the key members of Australia's Test side in the 2000s.
With the ball, he snared a total of 165 wickets in his international career, including 24 in Tests, 133 in ODIs and 8 in T20Is.
One of his greatest moment on the cricketing field came when he blasted 143 off 125 balls after coming on to bat with Australia at 86 for four against Pakistan in the opening ODI of the 2003 World Cup.
Symonds scored 5088 runs, including six hundreds, in his ODI career since making debut in 1998. He also featured in 14 T20Is and averaged 48.14, besides playing in the IPL for now-defunct Deccan Chargers and Mumbai Indians in the final stages of his career.
Playing for the Chargers, he had slammed a 53-ball 117 not out against Rajasthan Royals in the inaugural edition.
He also hit 1462 runs with two hundreds and 10 fifties after being picked for the Tests in 2004 against Sri Lanka.
He went on to hit a scintillating 156 against England in the Boxing Day Test in 2006-07 before making a career-best 162 against India at Sydney in 2008.
The Sydney Test, however, went on to become the most controversial moment of his career due to the ‘Monkey Gate’ scandal involving India spinner Harbhajan Singh.
Symonds, lovingly known as ‘Roy’, also had his share of controversies.
He was axed from the two ODIs during Australia's tour of England in 2005 after he turned up drunk for a match against Bangladesh. (PTI)
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