The late great Andrew Symonds, who passed away following a car crash on Sunday at the age of 46, was no ordinary cricketer. The burly former Australia all-rounder wasn't just one of the finest all-rounders of his time, but he was quite the intimidator, especially to those those trying to disrupt the game. His formidable frame has given nightmares to those who have tried to hamper the game of cricket in any way. Symonds, or fondly known as 'Roy' was not a pleasant person to be against, as he had time and again shown it through his no-nonsense policy as far as intruders are concerned. (Also Read: 'This really hurts. Doesn't feel real' - Gilchrist, Vaughan and other legends devastated at Andrew Symonds' shock death)
Symonds was known to teach pitch invader a tough lesson, if they dared to interrupt proceedings in Roy's presence. During a domestic one-day final between Queensland (which Symonds was a part of) and Western Australia in 1997 at the WACA in Perth, an intruder tried charged onto the ground, hoping to interrupt the match. And while he did succeed in doing so, he must have instantly regrated the decision as Symonds took exception to it.
The man was perhaps attempting to pick one of the bails but before he could do so, Symonds, who was fielding, decided to take out the shirtless intruder. Symonds charged at the guy and managed tackled him onto the ground. However, the guy broke free and ran for his life. The camera showed the man run out of the stadium he was so intimidated by Symonds.
This wasn't the only incident of an intruder getting on Symonds' bad books. During the second CB final in 2008 between India and Australia at the MCG, a streaker entered the ground and ran naked onto the pitch getting chased by security guards. The man was later identified as Robert Ogilvie. Whatever motive Ogilvie entered the ground with, one of the things that wouldn’t have been on his wishlist was to encounter Symonds. The Aussie batter had just arrived at the crease to bat with Matthew Hayden and what happened was one of the very rare instances ever witness on a cricket field.
{{/usCountry}}This wasn't the only incident of an intruder getting on Symonds' bad books. During the second CB final in 2008 between India and Australia at the MCG, a streaker entered the ground and ran naked onto the pitch getting chased by security guards. The man was later identified as Robert Ogilvie. Whatever motive Ogilvie entered the ground with, one of the things that wouldn’t have been on his wishlist was to encounter Symonds. The Aussie batter had just arrived at the crease to bat with Matthew Hayden and what happened was one of the very rare instances ever witness on a cricket field.
{{/usCountry}}Symonds, with his tall, beast of a built, rammed his heavy shoulders onto the streaker and he landed flat on his back. With absolutely no reaction on his face, Symonds, Hayden and the rest of the Indian cricketers looked on as the guy was carried off the field. "Well that streaker could have done some injury to Andrew Symonds because he seemed to run straight at him, and all of a sudden, he was on his back," legendary commentator Richie Benaud had said on air about the incident.