Under-siege all-rounder Andrew Symonds says he must trust his instincts to fight for his Test career after starring with the ball for Australia against South Africa in the second cricket Test here Wednesday.
Symonds, whose position in the team is under threat before next week’s final Sydney Test after a woeful run of scores, made his mark with a 16-ball spell of 3-7 with his medium-pacers as South Africa conceded a 44-run innings deficit.
He whooped with delight as he removed Mark Boucher (23), Herschelle Gibbs (94) and Shaun Pollock (9) in a terrific spell in the middle session.
Symonds wants to be known as a batting all-rounder but has been plagued with low scores during his four Test appearances this summer. He scored one and nine against the West Indies and 13, 25 and a first-ball duck against South Africa.
He is hoping his bowling form will carry through to his batting should he bat again at number six in Australia’s second innings in Melbourne.
”I play my best cricket when I’m really not thinking about it, when I’m just reacting on instinct, and that’s what I’ve got to get out there and do tomorrow, to trust myself and be instinctive,” Symonds said on Wednesday.
”Hopefully, I won’t have the nerves when I walk out to the middle and can step into the first half-volley and whack it down the ground for four.
”It’s more a mindset thing with me. I play my best cricket when I am positive, and maybe I have to start putting the pressure back on to the bowler, show him a bit more intent that I am going to push along a bit.”
Symonds’ three wickets came at a crucial time in the hard-fought match.
”It was an important time of the game and to be contributing in that way it would have made me feel good even if I was scoring runs. It was a great relief,” Symonds said.
”Hopefully, I can draw some confidence from my bowling and flow through to my batting here.
”I am a batting all-rounder, my batting is much better than my bowling, but today I had a job to do, and the previous day, and I thought I carried it out quite well.”
Symonds, an exceptional one-day player, has had a fitful time in Tests, averaging just 11,22 in nine innings and taking 2-170 before Wednesday’s three-wicket haul. – AFP
