Symonds denied triumphant return as storms steal his thunder

THUNDERSTORMS denied Andrew Symonds a triumphant return to Birmingham last night after he delivered his third successive masterful display in the day-night international against England.

Born locally but raised in Australia, Symonds’ one-day series was in doubt after he broke curfew the night before their embarrassing defeat to Bangladesh in their opening match of the NatWest Series.

Instead of sending him home, Cricket Australia elected to fine him and implement a two-match ban and Symonds has been repaying that reprieve ever since with successive man-of-the-match awards in their last two victories.

He was also on course for a third in a row last night after his superb 74 off 75 balls, which included six fours and four sixes, guided Australia to a competitive total of 261 for nine despite the loss of five wickets in the closing overs.

England, hopeful of landing some psychological blows on the world champions before Saturday’s Lord’s final, were unable to determine whether they could have exceeded that total when rain halted their replay at eight without loss after three overs.

They did return, by which time the victory total had been adjusted to 200 in 33 overs, but further rain halted their reply at 37 for one after six overs to leave a capacity 21,000 Edgbaston crowd frustrated in their hopes of witnessing another Australian beating.

Australia had begun the match in bright sunshine and started in confident mood after deciding to bat first with Adam Gilchrist and Matthew Hayden hitting Darren Gough out of the attack after his opening two overs cost 23 runs.

England instead turned to novice Simon Jones for inspiration and he delivered by dismissing both openers and rattling Hayden with his aggressive intent.

Having drawn Gilchrist into edging behind pushing outside off stump, Jones demonstrated an aggression which may serve England well in the Ashes series to follow by annoying Hayden sufficiently to prompt his dismissal.

Hayden, one of the most renowned sledgers in the Australian line-up, objected when Jones aimed a shy at the stumps and hit him in the chest on the bounce after he had patted the ball back down the wicket.

The incident appeared to have ended after Jones apologised by raising his hand, but Hayden flared up again and became involved in an angry exchange with Paul Collingwood and Andrew Flintoff before captain Ricky Ponting came down the wicket to defuse the situation. That incident clearly unsettled Hayden because he failed to add to his 14 runs off the next seven deliveries he faced before trudging off unhappily when he was given leg before to Jones.