::News4u:: » Symonds’ trysts with controversies

News4u-Sports Desk-Melbourne, Controversy stalked Andrew Symonds throughout his career and it was hardly a surprise that the temperamental all-rounder was sent back home from Australia’s ICC World Twenty20 squad in England due to his alcohol-related problems.
Symonds’ trouble with the bottle surfaced in June 2005 when he turned up drunk for an ODI against Bangladesh in Cardiff.

Cricket Australia subsequently slapped a two-match ban on the all-rounder.

Next year in March, Symonds was involved in a nightclub brawl with a rugby player during Australia’s tour of South Africa. Fortunately, Michael Clarke intervened and steered him away to avoid further embarrassment.

Symonds was at the eye of the storm of the 2008 ‘monkeygate’ episode, along with volatile Indian off-spinner Harbhajan Singh.

Symonds accused Harbhajan of calling him a “monkey” and the episode threatened to polarise cricket world with India threatening to pull out of the tour.

Harbhajan was absolved of the charge but Symonds was a bitter man, sulking that he didn’t get enough support from his own board.