How did Symonds qualify for Australia?

[Zainub]

Thank you for the confirmation OF.

As an afterthought on my original point, many people would now argue that you could be born in outer space and lived and learned all your cricket there and then come to Planet earth to play cricket for any country you chose - because that would be like deciding which country to work in. Those some people would also say that, if we're being critical of people choosing to play for a country besides their country of birth and or origin, we should be critical then of everyone working to earn a living in any place besides their country of origin and or birth.

[Seamer]

Originally Posted by Speedboy Salesman

Wasn't he born in Birmingham, England, and weren't his parents of West Indian heritage?

Moved to Australia at 2yrs age and lived here ever since. He had the chance of playing for England, but turned it down because he said he was'nt English. I don't blame him. Being an Aussie is special and fairly exclusive. Being an Englishman, well, almost ANYONE can be an Englishman if they wanted to.

Good on Symonds too. Could have taken the easy option and easy money and temporarily signed up with England, but stuck to his principles and loyalties, and his actions is now playing dividends. One of the reasons that i totally respect him.

[Speedboy Salesman]

but Hussain had an English mother. I thought Symonds' parents were West Indian of origin, weren't they?

[Zainub]

I suppose they all become naturalised citizens of Australia.

[KennyG]

Symonds was born and adopted in Britain by an Australian couple.
He does not know even to this day who his birth parents are/were.

[Quagmire]

I thought he heratige was Torres Strait Islander. He is an Australian thats it, he didnt take the easy option like Pietersen when things don't go your way you run away. I think at the moment I will be asked to play for England the way they are going because my mothers English. I think that for the ODI series we should put a bell in the ball for the English players.

[andain]

Originally Posted by Speedboy Salesman

but Hussain had an English mother. I thought Symonds' parents were West Indian of origin, weren't they?

And your point?

I'm not sure I like the undercurrent of your questions.

[Milo]

Originally Posted by Seamer

Good on Symonds too. Could have taken the easy option and easy money and temporarily signed up with England, but stuck to his principles and loyalties, and his actions is now playing dividends. One of the reasons that i totally respect him.

That's pretty much the point I was making. I'm not sure people saw through my sarcastic bitterness. He would have been a celebrity over here (of that there is no doubt after his 12 sixes for Gloucestershire) and his career would have probably gone down the tubes like Botham (I eat three shredded wheat) and Flintoff's.

[Quagmire]

He's an entertainment machine, he has alot natural talent and he is dangerous not just to the bowlers but to the crowd. His sixes don't go 50 rows back like Gilchrist, but they are more like tracer bullets flat and very hard. I saw him almost kill someone in the crowd during a oneday match a couple of years ago. I think he holds the record for most sixes in an innings I think it was 16.

[Andy Mellon]

Originally Posted by Milo

He'd have been a celebrity over here and we'd have probably ruined him.

Worried that English cricketers might appear in too many adverts? Don't worry, Milo. In Australia, they seem to advertise any old crap that comes along. In fact, having been in Australia for three weeks, I think there were more television adverts featuring an Australian Cricketer than adverts not featuring them. Now, I can't remember all the products but they were advertising 3 Mobile, Weetbix, Johnnie Walker, some dire advert featuring Adam Gilchrist and the Barmy Army, Milo... the list goes on. You name it, and you can pay the money, they'll endorse it. Nothing different from that and Ian 'Shredded Wheat' Botham. In fact, the Australian Cricket team appear to be significantly worse for endorsements and over-exposure than their English counterparts.

In NZ, I think the only advert featuring a cricketer is the cringe-worthy effort of Stephen Fleming advertising Fujitsu air-conditioning.