Former Australian cricketer Andrew Symonds dies in Queensland car crash

World cricket is mourning the shocking loss of another Australian great after Test star and two-time World Cup winner Andrew Symonds was killed in a car crash in Queensland. The 46-year-old “cult figure” was involved in a single-vehicle accident on Saturday night.

Queensland Police are investigating the crash, which occurred in the Hervey Range, some 50km from Townsville.

“Preliminary information indicates that shortly after 11 p.m., the car was traveling on Hervey Range Road near the Alice River Bridge when it skidded off the road and flipped,” a police statement read.

“Emergency services attempted to revive the 46-year-old driver and sole occupant, however he died of his injuries.”

Symonds’ death comes just two months after the great Shane Warne died at age 52 after a suspected heart attack in Thailand.

Cricket Australia chairman Lachlan Henderson said: “Australian cricket has lost another of its best. Andrew was a generational talent who was instrumental in Australia’s success at the World Cups and as part of Queensland’s rich cricket history.

“He was a cult figure to many who was treasured by his fans and friends. On behalf of Australian cricket, our deepest condolences go out to Andrew’s family, teammates and friends.”

Symonds played 26 Tests for Australia, scoring 1462 runs at 40.61 and collecting 24 wickets with his handy mid-paced spin and bowling.

His brilliant 162 not against India in the 2008 Sydney Test helped Australia to a 122-run victory, but the game would later be mired in controversy over the Monkeygate affair.

Symonds accused Indian spinner Harbhajan Singh of calling him a “monkey”, sparking a war of words between the two teams and a threat by India to return home after Singh was initially suspended for three games.

But it was on the white ball court that the man they called ‘Roy’ really excelled. A crowd favorite in the short-form game, the highly successful all-rounder played 198 one-day internationals, hitting 5,088 runs and taking 133 wickets.

The Queenslander was also a brilliant fielder, known for pulling off a spectacular run or outrageous catch just when his team needed him. Symonds was an integral part of Australia’s World Cup-winning campaigns in 2003 and 2007, performing with bat, ball and on the field.

His 143 against a Wasim Akram-led Pakistan in Australia’s opening match of the 2003 tournament in Johannesburg heralded his arrival in the cricket world. The dreadlocked right-hander’s winning shot came from just 125 deliveries and featured 18 fours and two sixes.

At the time, it was the highest score by an Australian at a World Cup. In the semi-final against Sri Lanka, Symonds reached the crease with his team struggling at 3-53.

He scored an unbeaten 91 to help the defending champions to 7-212, which proved too much for the Sri Lankans in a rain-affected match. Ricky Ponting’s men easily beat India in the final.

Australia didn’t need too many heroics from Symonds at the 2007 World Cup, coming through group play and easily defeating Sri Lanka in the decider in Barbados.

Symonds finished his twin World Cup campaigns with two winner’s medals, an average of 103, a shooting rate of 93.29 and the adulation of fans around the world.

“I think it’s the fear factor that it puts into the opposition because they can clear the boundary on a regular basis,” former Australian captain Ian Chappell said. “He’s going to create some run outs for you. He’s going to take a blinding catch and he’s been very, very neat on the ball for a long time.”

In recent years, Symonds had worked as a television commentator for Fox Sports and was a regular on the microphone for Big Bash League telecasts.