Teammates optimistic of Symonds' return

His ouster from the Twenty20 World Cup squad notwithstanding, Andrew Symonds continues to enjoy the backing of his teammates, who are convinced that the temperamental all-rounder would return to the Australian squad again.
Speedster Brett Lee described Symonds as "world's greatest guy" and was optimistic of his return to the national team.
"To lose a player of his caliber leaves a big hole in the team but hopefully he will be back shortly," said Lee.
"I'm disappointed he's flying home. As his teammates we will be trying our hardest to make sure he gets back in the Australian cricket team at some stage," he was quoted as saying by the Australian Associated Press (AAP).
"What's happened with Andrew is a very personal blow to him but as mates we'll be sticking by him and making sure we give him our best advice and the help he needs," the 32-year-old pacer added.
Lee conceded Symonds would be missed in the Twenty20 World Cup but he urged teammates to lift themselves and focus on the job ahead.
"We have to move on. As his teammates we are disappointed that Andrew is going home but we will try to find a way to fill that gap.
"He's a world-class player and to leave a gap like that is not great for the Australian team but we always find a way to fill a void," he said. Fellow pacer Nathan Bracken said he too was sorry to see Symonds leave in such a fashion.
"He's a tremendous talent, he fits in and gets on well with the boys and to say it is the end of his career is a big call," said Bracken.
"He's got the talent and the ability at this level, we all enjoy him being around and enjoy watching him play cricket so hopefully he'll be back shortly.
"When you play professional sport you have very little margin for error and for him it's been tough - to be sent home from a tour is hard so every guy in a way will feel sorry for him," said the left-arm pacer.
An equally sad Mike Hussey said other players need to put behind the episode and concentrate on the job at hand.
"We've got to concentrate on our preparations and make sure we are 100 per cent ready for the West Indies on Saturday. We can't afford to let it affect our preparations," he said.
"I feel bad for the guy, I really hope he can get any issues sorted out and I hope he can still play cricket for Australia because he's shown over a long period of time how good a player he is," he said.

Symonds let Australia down: Ponting

Australia captain Ricky Ponting says all-rounder Andrew Symonds let himself and the team down with his latest off-field troubles.
Symonds was sent home from the Twenty20 World Cup on Thursday for what Cricket Australia described as an alcohol-related breach of team rules and other violations.
Ponting declined to give specifics of Symonds' behavior, but said the player broke a "number of his own commitments" in the past 24-48 hours and the decision to kick him off the squad was taken "in the bigger picture" of Australian cricket.
"He let himself down, he let his team-mates down and let Cricket Australia down," Ponting said at a news conference at The Oval.
Ponting said Australia are looking for a replacement for Symonds ahead of the team's opening match of the Twenty20 World Cup on Saturday against West Indies.
"We're all disappointed with what happened over the last 24 hours," he said. "Losing one of the best Twenty20 players in the world is obviously not ideal."
But Ponting said the team would cope without him.
"Hopefully we don't miss a beat from here," he said. "It would be like wishing in a couple of weeks' time that we had McGrath, Hayden and Warne around. That's not going to happen."
A decision on Symonds' future is up to the Cricket Australia board.