Andrew Symonds, a former Australia cricketer, and two-time World Cup champion died in a vehicle accident on Saturday night.
Police revealed that the 46-year-old was the only passenger in the collision near Townsville in his native state of Queensland.
“Early information suggests that the automobile was being driven on Hervey Range Road, near Alice River Bridge, soon after 11 p.m. when it off the roadway and rolled,” a police statement stated.
“Emergency responders attempted to resuscitate the 46-year-old driver and lone occupant, but he died as a result of his injuries. The Forensic Crash Unit is looking into it.”
Symonds averaged 40.61 with the bat in 26 Tests for his country, although he was arguably more remembered for his white-ball heroics.
He played in 198 One-Day Internationals, hitting six hundred and 30 half-centuries and taking 133 wickets with his useful off-spin and medium speed.
Symonds emerged into the scene with possibly his best performance during the 2003 World Cup, when he burned Pakistan for an unbeaten 143 in Johannesburg early in the tournament, helping Australia remain undefeated and overcome India in a one-sided final.
The swashbuckling right-hander was also a member of Australia’s World Cup-winning team in the West Indies in 2007, when they won their fourth 50-over World Cup championship. Symonds also appeared in 14 T20Is for Australia, scoring 337 runs and taking eight wickets.
He was the third former Australian cricketer to die in 2022, after great leg-spinner Shane Warne, who died of a heart attack in Thailand in March. Rod Marsh, another former wicketkeeper, died of a heart attack earlier this year.
