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His friendship with Michael Clarke may be back on track but Andrew Symonds still cut a frustrated figure at Australian cricket training on Tuesday.
And fellow allrounder Shane Watson was also seeing red in the nets as competition heated up for spots for the first Test against New Zealand at Brisbane starting on Thursday.
By rights Symonds should have had a spring in his step after it emerged his once strained relationship had been patched up at a promotional party in Brisbane on Monday night.
However, he appeared to struggle with the bat in the Gabba’s indoor nets and became so frustrated he screamed an expletive, taking several minutes to compose himself.
It was hardly plain sailing either for Symonds’ rival for the allrounder spot, Watson.
The injury-plagued Queenslander threw a scare into the Australian camp when he left the nets in distress after being hit in the chest by quick Mitchell Johnson while batting – but he soon returned.
Symonds and Watson are expected to endure another day or so of anxiety along with off-spinner Jason Krejza.
Australian selectors were expected to cut their 13-strong squad to 12 by Tuesday.
But recent rain has limited access to the wicket, forcing selectors to postpone an announcement until as late as match morning.
Despite Symonds’ obvious frustration in the nets and his humble first-class returns since his sensational exile over the “gone fishing” controversy, Clarke backed his re-newed best mate.
“Andrew is a fantastic player…any time that he was fit and ready to come back into the team, we were certainly going to have him,” he said.
“He’s very happy to be back in the side and I can guarantee you the rest of the players are happy to have him back.”
Clarke was part of the leadership group who sent Symonds home from the one-day series against Bangladesh at Darwin in September.
Symonds said earlier this week that his once great friendship with Clarke was “not what it was” after hitting rock bottom at the Top End.
But Clarke said on Tuesday: “We had a cocktail party last night which was great.
“We spent a bit of time together having a chat and at training today we did again.
“It’s probably been exactly how it was before he left which has been great for both of us.”
Despite their history, Clarke said there no awkward moments when they were reunited in the Australian camp.
“I definitely didn’t want it to affect our friendship,” Clarke said of the decision to send Symonds home.
“It certainly wasn’t a personal decision.
“It was just what we thought was in the best interests of the team and Andrew.”
Symonds successfully overcame alcohol issues to fight his way back into the Australian squad – and Clarke’s admiration was obvious on Tuesday.
“One thing Symmo has done has looked at himself in the mirror and worked out for himself what he needed to do to get back into this team,” Clarke said.
Clarke said he had fully recovered from a virus contracted in India, as had speedster Brett Lee.
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