By Tania Phillips
Andrew Symonds was a kid when I met him, still in his mid to late teens – I’d come to score cricket for the young Gold Coast Club – fourths and then later four seasons as scorer manager for seconds. I had the book for fourths on the Gold Coast when calls came through from Wynnum Manly that he and Matthew Mott (now the Aussie women’s coach) were taking the homeside apart – 449 between the two of them (still too young to drink and barely shaving). I think it was that day the whole club, which had been struggling to find its feet, kind of grew up. It was fitting too that it was Motty and Simmo – they and their families worked hard for our club. I can’t think back to those days without seeing a proud Ken Symonds telling me how his son and the team had gone every time firsts came back from a game. On the field, Andrew Symonds was something special even back then, off he was Simmo one of the boys in a closeknit playing group. He was also talented hockey player, playing for Palm Beach Allstars in the Tweed Border Competition and probably could have gone all the way in that sport but thankfully for all of his fans, the GC Dolphins (and cricket-mad Ken) he chose cricket. Vale ‘Andrew Symonds.
Tania Phillips
Spin Sub Editor
