Clarke wants Symmo back

MELBOURNE: Dismissing speculation of a rift with Andrew Symonds post the ‘go fishing’ episode, Australian vice-captain Michael Clarke has clarified that he did not alone take the call to send the all-rounder home but it was a collective decision of the  leadership group.

“When I was given the vice-captaincy, I knew part of that role was making sure you put the team first. The one thing that has probably been misinterpreted is that I didn’t make the decision to send Andrew Symonds home on my own, it was the leadership group,” Clarke said in Jaipur, where the Aussies are playing the Rajasthan Cricket Academy Centre of Excellence team in a practice match.

Clarke, who along with Ricky Ponting, coach Tim Nielsen, and team manager Steve Bernard took the decision to remove Symonds, said he stood by it since it was in the interest of the team as well as Symonds.

“We believed and still believe it was best for the team and best for Symmo as well. I have made clear that I am still great friends with Andrew and I will be until the day I die. I want him back playing because I love playing cricket with him,” he was quoted as saying by The Age.

Hayden wants to carry on
Meanwhile, dismissing suggestions that he has become a spent force in one-day cricket, Australian opener Matthew Hayden has said he has no plans to retire from the shorter version of the game although national selectors are in jeopardy about his future. “I haven’t lost my passion for one-day cricket and while I m performing there, I’ll keep playing it,” Hayden said.