Cricket: Opportunity knocks - and inhibits the flair

Brett Lee and Andrew Symonds at training yesterday ahead of tomorrow's one-dayer at Eden Park. Picture / Kenny Rodger

This is a story about Symonds versus Symonds.

In one corner, there's the familiar swashbuckling, dreadlocked Queensland adventurer. Sort of Crocodile Hunter with zinc and willow. In the other there's his alter-ego, the guy who keeps shouting at him to temper his game and play the percentages.

"How can you expect to be a test all-rounder when you bat like Barry Bonds?" the voice from Andrew Symonds' shoulder might be yelling, as every other fibre of his body pleads with him to play his natural game.

The stakes at the moment are high.

With the Australian selectors clamouring for an all-rounder to perform a similar role to the one Freddie Flintoff filled during England's epic Ashes triumph last winter, there is an opportunity for a player such as Symonds.

Shane Watson was seen as the first cab off the rank but broke down during the opening test against the West Indies at Brisbane, opening up a vacancy that Symonds filled - admittedly with little impact - in the subsequent tests at Hobart and Adelaide.

Curiously, he puts his subdued performance down to nerves and inhibitions, something he vowed would never happen again after he suffered from similar anxiety during his first and second test experiences, against Sri Lanka last year.

"I've been really nervous waiting to bat, usually I'm not; usually I'm just sitting there mucking around," he said yesterday.

"So it's probably a case of nerves. A case of me not going out there and expressing myself as I know I can, and maybe throwing a bit of caution to the wind.

"Whether or not that's the right way for me to bat I probably haven't worked out yet, but I've just got to do the time. I've played enough cricket to know that I need to find that correct balance between caution and risk."

Symonds said he made a point of talking with various players and coaches about finding the right mix for his batting and, while being encouraged to play his natural game, said it was easier said than done.

Playing ODIs was one thing he said, playing test cricket was something completely different, because there was always an added anxiety about attempting a "big shot" and getting out, particularly when time wasn't a factor.

"I spoke to Warnie the other day and he reckoned the way I was feeling was only to be expected," he said.

"I'm trying to find my way in test cricket and I'm trying to find the best way to go about my game, and there's always an element of trial and error at first."

Whatever the style, he said he was delighted to be back in the Baggy Green cap this summer, and thrilled to be part of a winning side, especially after he and his team-mates were reminded that iconic Australian batsman Allan Border had never beaten the West Indies in a series.

He will now concentrate on the three Chappell-Hadlee one-dayers against New Zealand while hoping the Australian selectors will retain him for the opening test against South Africa at Perth, starting in a fortnight.

"I thought I bowled quite well in Adelaide, and then didn't score any runs in the first innings and didn't get a bat in the second, so hopefully I'll get picked to go to Perth and I'll get some runs there," he said.

"I've enjoyed my one-day cricket over the past few years and I'm obviously keen to get some runs in this series and hopefully go to Western Australia with some form behind me, and get runs there as well.

"It's definitely encouraging to hear the selectors talk about their need for an all-rounder in the test ranks. It's clear that there's an opportunity there and there's no more incentive needed than that."

Symonds, an all-rounder who can lend his hand to both off-spin and medium pace, says he is unsure about what he will be bowling on the one-dayers against New Zealand, but expects that conditions will favour spin.

"I guess it'll depend on the conditions," he said. "It's spun here in the past but it'll also come down to the state of the game. I'd expect to be bowling more spin than pace."