Australian cricket was yesterday reeling after swashbuckling former all-rounder Andrew Symonds was killed in a car crash — another tragic blow after the deaths of fellow greats Shane Warne and Rod Marsh.
The 46-year-old, who played 26 Tests and 198 one-day internationals from 1998 to 2009, was involved in a single-vehicle accident outside Townsville in Queensland, Australia, on Saturday night.
Police said emergency services attempted to revive him, but he died from his injuries after the vehicle left the road and rolled.
Photo: AP
Pictures published by the Brisbane Courier-Mail showed a vehicle on its roof and skid marks on the road.
“We are still in shock — I’m just thinking of the two kids,” his tearful wife Laura told the newspaper, referring to their young children. “He was the most laid-back person. Nothing stressed him out.”
Cricket Australia chairman Lachlan Henderson said the sport had lost “another of its very best.”
“Andrew was a generational talent who was instrumental in Australia’s success at World Cups and as part of Queensland’s rich cricket history,” he added. “He was a cult figure to many who was treasured by his fans and friends.”
Symonds’ fatal crash came just months after the deaths of fellow Australian greats Warne and Marsh, who both died unexpectedly from heart attacks.
“Unfortunately I’ve been here too often this year under these circumstances. I actually can’t quite believe it, to be honest,” former Australia captain Mark Taylor told Channel Nine. “Another tragic day for cricket.”
The larger-than-life Symonds was hugely popular, not only for his hard-hitting approach to the game, but also for his easy-going personality.
He was widely considered one of the most skilled all-rounders Australian cricket has seen, bowling both off-spin and medium pace, while playing many match-winning hands with his explosive middle-order batting.
Symonds was also a top-rate fielder and was a key part of Australia’s back-to-back 50-over World Cup triumphs in 2003 and 2007.
Japan is the home of judo, but a brutal win-at-all-costs mentality, corporal punishment and pressure to lose weight are driving large numbers of children to quit, raising fears for the sport’s future in its traditional powerhouse. Underlining the scale of the problem, the All Japan Judo Federation canceled a prestigious nationwide tournament for children as young as 10, saying that they were being pushed too hard. A group dedicated to those injured or killed while practicing the martial art says 121 judo-related deaths were reported in Japanese schools between 1983 and 2016. Japan dominates the Olympics judo medal table, but federation president Yasuhiro
Representative to the US Hsiao Bi-khim on Tuesday praised US professional basketball player Enes Kanter Freedom for his advocacy of human rights. “An honor to meet @EnesFreedom, with admiration for his courage and commitment in advocating human rights,” Hsiao wrote in a post on Twitter that included a photograph of her posing with Freedom. “Looking forward to welcoming him to Taiwan in the future.” Hsiao did not give any information about her meeting with Freedom, who is currently a free agent. However, Legislator Hung Sun-han wrote on Facebook that Hsiao had invited Freedom to dinner at Twin Oaks, the former residence of Taiwan’s
RE-EVALUATION: ‘I hope that everyone is able to compete and as long as they are finding a way to do that then I am happy,’ US swimmer Alex Walsh said of the policy Swimming is to establish an “open category” to allow transgender athletes to compete as part of a new policy that would effectively ban them from women’s races. “I do not want any athlete to be told they cannot compete at the highest level,” Husain al-Musallam, president of governing body FINA, told an extraordinary congress of his organization. “I understand why transgender athletes want to compete in the gender of their choice ... but we should not favor one athlete over another,” he said. “I will set up a working group that will establish an open category at some of our biggest events.” He
World No. 1 Daniil Medvedev on Thursday lost to Roberto Bautista Agut in the quarter-finals of the Mallorca Open, while second seed Stefanos Tsitsipas advanced to the last four. Medvedev was beaten 6-3, 6-2 by Bautista Agut, who avenged his defeat by the Russian in last week’s quarter-finals in Halle, Germany. “I had to play very good to beat Daniil. He’s the number one, the last champion here in Mallorca. He just beat me a few days ago. I played a really complete match,” Bautista Agut said. Bautista Agut broke Medvedev once in the first set and twice in the second as he
RSS