Watch: Andrew Symonds takes down streaker at the Gabba
Watch: As India inched set out to clinch a historic win in the second final of the 2007/08 CB Series, Andrew Symonds brought down a streaker.
Barring the Benson & Hedges World Championship of Cricket of 1984/85, India had never won a series across genders or formats on Australian soil.
However, under MS Dhoni, the newly appointed limited-overs captain, India qualified for the best-of-three finals of the 2007/08 CB series, along with hosts Australia. With an unbeaten 117 at Sydney, Sachin Tendulkar helped them go one up in the finals.
Tendulkar continued with his form in the second final in Brisbane, making 91 out of 258-9. Having come into the tournament with only one international match under his belt, Praveen Kumar then took out Adam Gilchrist, Ricky Ponting, and Michael Clarke to reduce Australia to 32-3 after nine overs.
That brought Queensland’s own Matthew Hayden and Andrew Symonds together. As S Sreesanth ran in to bowl the fourth ball of the 10th over, he pulled out at the last minute, and the umpire signalled dead ball, for a streaker had been sprinting towards Symonds.
Unfortunately, despite Richie Benaud’s fears (“he could have done some damage to Andrew Symonds”), the streaker was no match for the Queenslander, who brought him down immediately. However, unlike Greg Chappell in Auckland, Symonds did not use his bat.
The Indian fielders laughed as the streaker was escorted off the ground, but Symonds did not look amused.
Hayden (55) and Symonds (42) added 89, while Michael Hussey (44) and James Hopes (63) put on 76. Hopes was last dismissed as India won by nine runs, Praveen finishing with 4-46.
