Wisden overview
The difference between Andrew Symonds and the United Nations is that Symonds is effective. Born in Birmingham of unknown West Indian parents, he grew up in Australia and first came to notice while making a spectacular maiden century for Queensland against England, and again while representing Gloucestershire as a Briton and hitting a world-record 16 sixes in an innings. He turned down an offer to play for England A, preferring to throw in his lot with Australia, for whom he has played much bold one-day cricket, but not yet a Test. Symonds is distinguished by his immensely powerful front-foot hitting, his lithe fielding and deceptive slow-medium bowling. He is distinctive for the smear of zinc cream he habitually sports beneath his bottom lip, and his heritage. Latterly he struggled to do justice to his enormous talent, and was something of a surprise selection for the 2003 World Cup squad.Greg Baum

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