Michael Kasprowicz says former teammate Andrew Symonds had a "gift" which transcended the cricket field

Former Australian fast bowler Michael Kasprowicz, in Darwin this weekend, says the Territory is "another stage" for budding international cricketers.

DARWIN is “perfectly placed” to host more international cricket in coming years, former Australian quick bowler Michael Kasprowicz says.

Kasprowicz, who claimed 113 wickets from 38 tests, will be in the Territory from Friday for the Masters Tour, where past and present players visit regional centres for a series of community activities.

The man known as “Kasper” said despite Darwin missing out on hosting a one day international in August, in favour of Townsville, it should be seriously considered when Australia’s next international touring schedule is released in coming months.

“It’s perfectly placed for cricket in winter,” Kasprowicz said, who took the test figures of 7/39 against Sri Lanka in Darwin in 2004.

He added the looming short form competitions of the Strike League and Top End T20 in Darwin – with the latter involving the Papua New Guinea “Barramundis” – would continue to be a launching pad for young cricketers.

He said NT Cricket had “turned things around” in recent years to make the Territory more appealing for elite players, 14 years after it last hosted an international in 2008 at Marrara against Bangladesh.

Michael Kasprowicz celebrates the wicket of Sri Lankan captain Marvan Atapattu on day three of the first test between Australia and Sri Lanka at Marrara Oval in 2004. Picture: AAP Image/Dave Hunt.

“It’s got some status and top cricketers ... performing well up there, it’s another stage,” he said.

“An opportunity to show what you can do.

“For young players, it’s a wonderful opportunity and something you’ve got to look at doing.”

Meanwhile, Kasprowicz said he was still dealing with the loss of former Australian and Queensland teammate Andrew Symonds, who died in a single vehicle accident last month.

“That was a massive shock,” he said.

“I saw him develop, not just as a player but a person.

“It was devastating. He was a special person. It was horrible.”

Apart from exhilarating batting and fielding, Kasprowicz said Symonds had a “gift” of bringing people together.

“He was able to really connect people in every team, in every group he was with, every mob,” he said.

“Whoever he was with he was able to pull them all together.

“I said to his mother Barb at the funeral, that was his gift.

“That ability to connect us all.

“He was the funniest bloke ... (and) he had this energy around him.”

Michael Kasprowicz and Glenn McGrath look on during the public memorial service for Andrew Symonds in Townsville in May. Picture: Ian Hitchcock/Getty Images.

Kasprowicz, who stepped down as a Cricket Australia board member in July, 2020 after nearly nine years in the job, admitted the departure of men’s senior coach Justin Langer was “messy” but ultimately needed.

“There comes a time where there needs to be change,” he said.

“Justin was the right person for that moment in time.

“So things change and evolve. It was messy ... that’s for sure.”

Michael Kasprowicz will appear with D’Arcy Short, Terry Alderman, Sarah Elliott and Wayne Phillips at NT Cricket’s Sporties Night on June 11 at Gardens Oval. Tickets: ticketebo.com.au/northern-territory-cricket/aca-masters-sporties-night

The NT fishing trip which soured Roy's career

Almost 14 years ago, during a three-match series in Darwin against Bangladesh, Symonds was infamously sent home for going fishing instead of attending a team meeting.

In fact, the big Queenslander had organised for a friend to drive his boat across from Brisbane for some outdoor activities away from the wicket. 

Symonds maintained it was all a misunderstanding but Cricket Australia officials were far from impressed after a burgeoning rap sheet in recent years, and gave him the boot.

History will show it was one of the final body blows to his career that ultimately concluded at international level in May, 2009 in Abu Dhabi against Pakistan.

But that NT tour will always provide an insight into the character and enduring charm of Symonds; one of the game’s last true mavericks who often did things his way.

That 2008 trip to Darwin and the man they called “Roy” have been remembered fondly by former teammate Brett Geeves.

Things quickly turned pear-shaped after Symonds failed to show for a team meeting, electing to go fishing instead after a friend had driven his boat to Darwin from Brisbane.

“There was some concern about where he was and what had happened to him,” he said.

“From all reports he got back to the hotel and was pretty stonkered.

“He’d had himself a day on the boat. He probably did deserve a consequence for that.”

The final days of Symonds’ career will always be connected to the Territory during an infamous 2008 tour. Picture: File.

Geeves recalls sitting in business class on the flight to Darwin, next to Mike “Mr Cricket” Hussey, happily reading a book when Symonds suddenly yelled out from behind.

“Big Roy, at the back of business class, must have seen me sit down with my book, I hadn’t seen him at any stage during the camp, it was my first interaction with him,” Geeves recalls.

“He bellows from the back of business class: ‘Oi Geeves’ and called me a derogatory name.

“I turned around and said: ‘What?’

“He goes: ‘Nice glasses’ and started laughing. I started laughing too, I loved it, I thought it was great and I flipped the bird at him.”

However, he recalls Hussey being “beside himself” at Symonds’ outburst, perhaps speaking to the tensions surrounding the Queenslander’s recent behaviour, with Cricket Australia advising him the following month to seek psychological help.

“I could tell that things were a little icy for Roy, the way Huss reacted,” Geeves said.

“It was obvious he was under the pump from a behavioural standpoint.

“We got off the flight and the team manager made a bit of a deal of it as well. It felt completely over the top.”

However, Geeves had some sympathy for Symonds, who had started his career in a different era.

“I was really sad for him because he was the epitome of professionalism from 1994 to 2004, the game was played by part time workers and piss drinkers effectively,” he said.

“Boozehounds who played first class cricket.”

Geeves takes his first wicket for Australia. Picture: Greg Wood.

Geeves only has fond memories of making his international debut in the Territory.

He played his first ODI in green and gold against Bangladesh at Marrara on August 30, 2008 and remembers his pre-series expectations of running the drinks for three games at TIO Stadium being suddenly up-ended.

With Brett Lee missing due to personal issues, Symonds later kicked off the tour for going fishing instead of attending a team meeting and Shane Watson pulling out on the morning of the match, Geeves got a late call up for game one where he took 2/11 off five overs.

At the very least, Geeves was simply happy getting to know the players he bowled to during his Sheffield Shield career.

One in particular was Brad Haddin, who Geeves had encountered some “pretty heated battles” with.

“He was a competitor, he and I would always argue with one another in domestic cricket,” Geeves tells the NT News.

“You never really get to know (the opposition). Seeing a different side of those guys was great.”

Symonds leaves Darwin Airport on August 31, 2008.

The Symonds outburst wasn’t the only thing which surprised Geeves.

Upon arrival, he noticed the players went off to the local supermarket to prep their own meals.

“They lived a fairly normal life whereas I was kinda excited by the thought of two weeks of eating high-end steaks, getting out and enjoying the local restaurants and pubs,” he says.

So as Symonds’ career was winding down, another suddenly took off after Shane Watson pulled out on the morning of the first match.

“I’d come up a rung,” Geeves recalls.

“Shane Watson did his back in the morning putting his mascara on in the bathroom (laughs).

“I’m not really expecting to play that game.

“I’m at breakfast about to go nuts on the buffet and Michael Clarke comes over and says: ‘You’re in’.

Anthony Gelfius drove Symonds’ boat to Darwin from Brisbane. Picture: Nicholas Welsh.

“As a kid you dream about making your debut on Boxing Day, 100,000 people.

“For my debut to come in front of 6000 drunk backpackers was kinda fitting for my approach to the game.”

Packing only one pair of bowling boots for the trip, Geeves was aghast to blow out his left shoe in his second over, forcing Mitchell Johnson to run on a pair of his own as replacements.

Geeves remembers getting “nothing but love” from the local crowd, until the start of his second over.

Standing at the top of his mark after bowling his first ball, he suddenly noticed a hush come over the Marrara crowd.

That’s when he spotted a couple of local fans attempting to steal his boots and his drink bottle by the fence down at fine leg.

Darwin cricket fans at Marrara after Symonds had been kicked off the tour. Picture: Greg Wood.

“I look down to where my drink bottle and shoes are and there’s a lady dangling her son by the feet over the fence and they’re stealing my shoes and my drink bottle,” he says.

“I’m pissing myself, it’s one of the funniest things I’ve ever seen.

“They ‘shooed off’, never to be seen again, the boots or the drink bottle.

“For my debut to encompass all of that humour, and all of those crazy happenings, was kinda perfect.”

The only disappointment for Geeves was failing to get a hit in Australia’s innings.

Coming into bat with only a few balls remaining, he considered doing a “fake slip” as Hussey kept punching twos to keep the strike.