Former Australian captain Michael Clarke says he’s “devastated” by the death of his former teammate Andrew Symonds, casting aside the pair’s very public falling-out.
Clarke posted a photo to Instagram of himself and Symonds chairing Shane Warne around the SCG following the spin-king’s final Test match against England in January 2007.
The single word caption, “devastated” was followed by a broken heart emoji.
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He also posted two other pictures, one of himself and Symonds ahead of a Boxing Day Test at the MCG, and the other of the pair batting together in a one-day international, with the caption, “Opposites attract. I loved nothing more than walking out to play for our country together.”
The pair’s once close relationship disintegrated after the all-rounder was sent home from a one-day series against Bangladesh in Darwin in 2008.
Clarke, who was Australia’s stand-in captain for that series in the absence of Ricky Ponting, was part of the disciplinary meeting that elected to axe Symonds, who had missed a team meeting after going fishing.
“Of the relationships that had deteriorated since I had been captain, I did everything in my power to rebuild my friendship with Symmo, but he didn’t want it,” Clarke wrote in his autobiography, My Story.
“Losing that friendship kills me. Ever since Warney’s retirement in 2007, Symmo has been my best friend in the Australian team and my favourite cricketer to play with.
“When I become captain, I will be determined to do things a better way. It will cost me other friendships.
“None will leave as much pain as the one I lost with Andrew Symonds.”
Speaking last month on The Brett Lee Podcast, Symonds said he suspected the problems in their relationship could be traced to the all-rounder becoming a highly sought-after commodity at the Indian Premier League.
Symonds was signed by Deccan Chargers for $1.8 million.
“We became close. When he (Clarke) came into the side I used to bat with him a lot,” he told Lee.
“So when he came into the side I really looked after him. That built a bond.
“Matthew Hayden said to me — when the IPL started, I got a pretty penny to go and play in the IPL — he identified it as there was a bit of jealousy that potentially came into the relationship (with Clarke) there.
“Money does funny things. It’s a good thing but it can be a poison and I reckon it may have poisoned our relationship.
“I’ve got enough respect for him to probably not go into detail about what was said.
“My friendship with him is no longer and I’m comfortable with that, but I’m not gonna sit here and start slinging mud.”
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