Aussie Cricketer Andrew Symonds is, as Cricket360.com has said before, always in the thick of cricket controversy. Cricket news is abuzz with whispers of his imminent sacking in the wake of his recent comments about New Zealand wicketkeeper Brendon McCullum. There was reportedly a lot of pressure on the board members of Cricket Australia to end Symonds’ contract.  

It would seem that the comments made by Symonds about McCullum, calling him a “pile of shit” were made by him in an alcohol induced haze which is itself a cause for much concern. The fact that Symonds has a drinking problem is well known and one that he has admitted himself. The fact that he was out drinking the night before he was due to play a match for his club is also disturbing, and that is adding to the present cricket controversy.

When Symmo had earlier got himself into trouble with the gone fishing cricket controversy (where he chose to go fishing rather than attend a mandatory meeting at Darwin), he was required to undergo a psychological and alcohol rehabilitation programme. This rehab programme is something that will be scrutinized closely right now, and it is likely that the wayward cricketers is looking at some more rehab; perhaps even some more intensive rehab than before.

The present cricket controversy surrounding Symonds is sparking debate that he was not made to spend nearly enough time in rehab in the first instance and that the programme had left a lot of issues unresolved for the mercurial cricketer. Many believe that Symonds was not ready either emotionally or mentally to return to international cricket. It is perceived that Symonds cannot handle the pressure and the publicity that go hand in hand with top level international cricket.

The reason that Cricket Australia forgave Symonds for his earlier misdemeanor was in the interests of the team which certainly was in need of Symonds’s undoubted talent. However now, they will have no choice but to take a tougher stance and send out a message to the player that such misconduct will not be tolerated. With people now doubting the very soundness of his state of mind, it is likely that the earlier rehab programme which addressed stress-related illness as well as drinking and anger-management issues will be reinstated, and we at Cricket360 think that this will be done with renewed vigor.

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3.25 Copyright (C) 2007 Alain Georgette / Copyright (C) 2006 Frantisek Hliva. All rights reserved."

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