Teammates sorry to see Symmo go

LONDON - The Australian cricket team, which is here to participate in the second Twenty20 World Cup, has expressed sorrow over the exit of all-rounder Andrew Symonds on grounds of indispline.

Fast bowler Brett Lee described Symonds as “the world’s greatest guy”.

“He’s a world-class player and to leave a gap like that is not great for the Australian cricket team. But, we always find a way, if someone gets injured or if someone goes out of the side, to fill that void,” Fox Sports quoted Lee, as saying.

“What’s happened with Andrew is a very personal blow for him and we’ll be, as mates, sticking by him and making sure that we’re giving our best advice and the help he needs,” he added.

Mike Hussey said: “It’s a real shame because he is a great player and a great mate of mine. It’s unfortunate and we’ve got to move on, we’ve got to concentrate on the cricket, our preparation and making sure we are 100 per cent ready for the West Indies.”

Former Test opener Justin Langer said Symonds’ swift removal spoke volumes about what it meant to be a part of the Australian cricket team.

“It’s strong leadership - it just goes to show that the team ethos is much more important than individuals and that’s how all good teams are run,” he told Sky Sports.

England allrounder Andrew Flintoff, believed the Twenty20 tournament would suffer in Symonds absence.

“I played with Symo at Lancashire, he’s an amazingly talented cricketer and he was a key part of our dressing room,” Flintoff told the BBC.

“It’s going to be detrimental to the tournament. People want to see the likes of Andrew Symonds. (ANI)