Do you like Andrew Symonds?

[Matt79]

Well, yeah its kinda hard to hate anyone from Bangers. Should point out, I'm talking the great unwashed here - the CW crowd tends to be a bit more educated about the game and less parochial (generally anyway). I reckon Shoaib might be in the category of clowns most punters from other countries dislike. I don't know whether Nel is popular in SA or not, but he certainly achieves the second part of the equation re: being disliked abroad. Similarly, as you said Harbhajan and also Sreesanth might not be popular enough at home to qualify.

Fact remains, its not that uncommon a phenomenon and there have been plenty of similar situations in the past.

 

[iamdavid]

Nowt but a Judas; **** him.

Nah, he's an amazing athlete, obviously & an extremely handy cricketer, especially in the abbreviated forms of the sport, but doesn't strike one as one of life's deepest thinkers. Suspect if he were a bricklayer or plumber who played Grade at the weekends his personality would be exactly the same. You can take the boy out of Townsville...

He has made rather a better go of tests than I imagined tho, so kudos to him for that.

Spot on I think, I don't really see where all these perceptions of arrogance are coming from.
He's not the brightest bloke you'll come across and he's very passionate about playing for his country so he won't take a backward step out in the middle.

But despite his success on the field of late he has still, in my eyes, appeared remarkably down to earth. Really hasnt let things go to his head and seems to have maintained his honesty and simplicity.

He's stupid, yes, a bogan, yes, but he's also a pretty honest, straightforward guy. I don't dislike him.

I think alot of peoples disregard for him personally seems to stem from the fact that he has been so lucky over the last year or two, but its not his fault if Bucknor says not out.

 

[Jono]

Disagree, I think its the opposite. Many people hate the fact he's had so much luck because they don't like him. There are other players who have had streaks of luck that receive far less attention regarding their not out calls or dropped catches.

 

[DaRick]

Can't think of any from SL, England, NZ, Bang.

In fact the only players I can think of (talking majority here) are Ganguly for India (arguagbly Harbhajan but he's not really that popular), Graeme Smith in South Africa, and as you said, Symonds in Aus. Afridi possibly as well.

I would argue for Muttiah Muralitharan, if it weren't for the fact that most of the overseas dislike comes from his bowling action rather than his actual personality (and is especially strong in one country ).

I'm unsure about your pick of Graeme Smith - it has been said by various South African commentators that many South Africans don't like him because he doesn't come across as conservative, like many of the recent South Africans have (Pollock, Rhodes, even Cronje for a while).

Surprisingly, I don't hear those kind of comments levelled at somebody like Andre Nel - the dislike of him, AFAIK, is almost entirely overseas-based.

Here are my picks:
AUS - Ricky Ponting (overseas, they see him as a whiner and don't appreciate the fact that he's captain of the #1 ranked team)
BAN - ? (Not significant enough)
ENG - Kevin Pietersen (he'd be the closest, due to his heroics for England and his ridiculously flamboyant persona - makes him an easy target)
IND - Sourav Ganguly (would've said Harbhajan Singh were it not for him slapping Sreesanth)
NZ - ? (No-one in that camp is a really loathsome character - John Bracewell doesn't really count, due to him being the coach - at any rate, he doesn't rub well with many of his fellow countrymen)
PAK - Shoaib Akhtar (Given the response to Afridi in Australia the last time he toured, I would say that he has too much of a cult following - Shoaib would surely not be universally defended, but some Pakistani fans still choose to defend him, as you'll see when searching YouTube or examining the Wikipedia discussion pages)
SA - Andre Nel (as mentioned above)
SL - Muttiah Muralitharan (for reasons listed above)
WI - ? (The West Indian supporters can be a rather fickle bunch)
ZIM - ? (Many of us would probably be too busy sympathising with their plight)

Besides, is there a point to this thread, other than to unleash a veiled personal attack on Andrew Symonds (which we really shouldn't)?

 

[Debris]

Can't think of any from SL, England, NZ, Bang.

In fact the only players I can think of (talking majority here) are Ganguly for India (arguagbly Harbhajan but he's not really that popular), Graeme Smith in South Africa, and as you said, Symonds in Aus. Afridi possibly as well.

Let me have a crack.

SL - Murali
England - Pietersen
NZ - Styris
Bang - Well, most players are not well enough known to hate.

 

[four_or_six]

Besides, is there a point to this thread, other than to unleash a veiled personal attack on Andrew Symonds (which we really shouldn't)?

The point was that in another thread, someone said Symonds was very popular outside Australia as well as inside, and I said that I thought that was unlikely, but it would be interesting to see a poll. Which Richard was kind enough to do.

 

[Sanz]

Besides, is there a point to this thread, other than to unleash a veiled personal attack on Andrew Symonds (which we really shouldn't)?

This I completely agree with. Take your hate elsewhere people.

 

[Matt79]

^^ I NEVER SAID THAT!!!!! I just said he was "popular (full-stop)". I didn't say that he was universely popular, or that he was beloved around the world. I just said he was a popular player who felt secure in his spot in the team. In the context I was writing, I thought it was obvious I was talking about his home country, given that his popularity in other countries is irrelevant to his selection in the team.

 

[Jono]

Is Murali really disliked by that many other countries though?

 

[Matt79]

Nah, it seems to be only Australia that dislikes him, so that probably doesn't really count. I suppose by the same token, is Symonds really disliked by that many countries? Or is it just India, given what's happened there. Do English, South African, West Indian or Sri Lankan fans dislike him?

 

[Debris]

Is Murali really disliked by that many other countries though?

Yes

 

[Jono]

Which countries?

 

[DaRick]

The point was that in another thread, someone said Symonds was very popular outside Australia as well as inside, and I said that I thought that was unlikely, but it would be interesting to see a poll. Which Richard was kind enough to do.

...the fact that Richard (who does not like Symonds) put up this poll made me suspicious from the outset. It would almost be like me setting up a poll about Harbhajan and waiting for the votes to roll in.

 

[DaRick]

Which countries?

Certain English fans on here have made veiled comments about the legality of his action. Check out the only thread that I've created on here.

 

[Matt79]

Plus Rich seems to feel that Aussie fans are unique in being more forgiving of the flaws of Aussie players than players from other teams, as if most fans from every country don't do the same thing for their team.

 

[Sanz]

Honestly, how was that aggressive? I feel you're trying to tell me my reasons for not liking Symonds aren't my true reasons, and I'm saying you're incorrect. You're suggesting if he wasn't Australian I would like him, which is false. Although he may not act like a bogan, which would then reduce the level to which I dislike him.

Look the kind of comments and vile attacks you have been making on Symonds is pretty disgusting. I dont have much to say to you in this regard.

 

[Jono]

Certain English fans on here have made veiled comments about the legality of his action. Check out the only thread that I've created on here.

Not liking his action isn't the same as not liking him.

That being said, even if English and Australian fans don't like him, on the whole I'd say he's revered on the sub-continent, and that covers a bucketload of cricket fans.

 

[Jono]

Look the kind of comments and vile attacks you have been making on Symonds is pretty disgusting. I dont have much to say to you in this regard.

So have I been aggressive to you or Symonds?

 

[four_or_six]

As some else pointed out, the fact that Symonds is virtually iron-clad in the ODI team and pretty damn solid in the Test team, plus is one of the highest profile and popular cricketers in the world gives him the ability to confidently be a bit more picky about when and where he'll play. Watto has none of those assets, and therefore needs to be more ready to compromise his other concerns.

^^ I NEVER SAID THAT!!!!! I just said he was "popular (full-stop)". I didn't say that he was universely popular, or that he was beloved around the world. I just said he was a popular player who felt secure in his spot in the team. In the context I was writing, I thought it was obvious I was talking about his home country, given that his popularity in other countries is irrelevant to his selection in the team.

Calm down You said he was one of the most popular cricketers in the world... I apologise by the world you meant Australia.

I wasn't meaning to start Aussie-bashing. I was just genuinely interested to know if he was that popular... in the press they are always going on as if he is in Australia, but I've yet to meet many people who like him over here.

 

[Matt79]

hmmm... yeah, best back down a bit, as I can see why people have misread that. He's certainly one of the highest profile cricketers in the world. And he is immensely popular in his home country, as popular within his home country as almost any other player in the world I'd suggest. But yeah, he's not popular around the world. By mashing the two thoughts into one sentence, I've made what I was saying a bit confusing.