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ShareBRISBANE: Controversial Australian all rounder Andrew Symonds could face serious punishment from the International Cricket Council for man-handling a streaker during the second finals of the cricket tri-series against India here on Tuesday.
Symomds, who has been an active participant in the on-field bickerings during India's explosive tour Down Under, was at the non-striker's end when the incident took place.
When the man ran onto the pitch naked, trying to evade the police by approaching in the direction of Symonds, the all rounder leaned onto him in a rugby-style shoulder charge and grounded him in the 10th over of Australia's chase of 259.
If umpires decide to report the incident to the game's world governing body and Symonds is found guilty of breaching the ICC's section 4.2 of the player's code of conduct he could be suspended for five Test matches or 10 one-day internationals to a life ban.
The section 4.2 relates to a phyical assault of a rival player, an official or a spectator.
The streaker was later escorted out of the field by police and Symonds continued to bat with opener Matthew Hayden.
After the match, which Australia lost by nine runs giving India a historic ODI tri-series triumph here, home skipper Ricky Ponting said the incident just raised a few laughs in the dressing room.
Ponting said he has still not gone through the recordings to see what exactly transpired on the field.
"I haven't seen it yet, there's been a bit of talk and laughter around the dressing room, but I have not spoken to Symmo about it," he said.
