Symonds will have to work hard for selection: Sutherland

Sydney, Oct 9 (UNI) Cricket Australia (CA) chief James Sutherland today said troubled all-rounder Andrew Symonds will have to work hard to get back his place in the national side.

''I've had a couple of chats with him in the last couple of weeks. He knows that talk is cheap at this time and it's the actions that really count,'' Sutherland was quoted as saying by the 'Courier Mail'.

''I think he really understands that actions are the things that are really going to speak for him now and that's what he wants to concentrate on,'' he added.

Symonds was sent back home from Darwin before the one-day series against Bangladesh due to a disciplinary breach as the troubled all-rounder skipped a team meeting to go fishing.

Later, he was also dropped from the four-Test series in India.

However, Sutherland seems to be happy with the efforts Symonds is showing to get back his place in the Australian team.

''I've got a really good feeling about the way he is working towards coming back. There's nothing more that he wants right now than to be playing cricket for the Australian cricket team,'' he stated.

The Australian selector further added that Symonds will get back his place in the side sooner or later and he himself wants the swashbuckling batsman back in the side.

''I am really confident - talking to him and hearing others talk about how he is applying himself - that it won't be too far away,'' he said.

However, as Symonds continues to consult psychologists during his rehabilitation programme which is being overseen by CA medical staff, officials have not set a timeline for his return.

''I don't think there is any set timeline,'' Sutherland said.

adding,''Andrew has quite rightly been careful not to build any expectations. We are all on the same page in terms of wanting to see Andrew back playing cricket for Australia.'' UNI XC RKM AB PM1815