A few years ago, ahead of every Australian summer we used to witness an all-star team taking on an Australian XI. The All-star XI would usually comprise of some retired cricketers whereas the Australian XI would consist of current players.
In November 2008, when the two teams clashed in the exhibition game, there was a wonderful moment at the Gabba when Aussie allrounder Andrew Symonds allowed two young kids to take his spot on the field.
He was wired up on the mike and was chatting with the commentators when he allowed Tom to take his place. The boy understandably was very nervous when he was fielding on the boundary. Justin Langer and Brad Hodge were at the crease at that time.
And then, after a couple of deliveries, he allowed the other boy (also named Tom) to field as well. And this time, he was even allowed by David Hussey to throw the ball back to the bowler from the boundary line.
The full house crowd made the moment even more memorable by cheering for both the kids. Even though it was just an exhibition game, it was a very important match for Symonds as he was looking to get into some form ahead of the busy summer. So in that sense, it was a wonderful gesture from the man to give those two kids one of the most memorable moments of their lives.
Watch the video here:
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