Andrew Symonds

Melbourne: Andrew Symonds’ never-ending woes may be compounded further as the man who was involved in the Brisbane hotel altercation, has claimed that the controversial Australian allrounder elbowed him without provocation.

The 22-year-old man, identified only as Robert, said he was merely trying to click a picture with Symonds when the burly allrounder lost his cool and hit him with his elbow.

“I approached him (Symonds) and, although I never asked for his permission, put my arm around him, not aggressively, and took a photo on my phone,” he said. “It was not my intention to offend him, nor was it to upset the group he was drinking with.”

“(But) as I took the photo, he turned without saying anything (and) hit me in the jaw with his right elbow. I asked ‘what was that for? I’m a fan.’ He said: ‘I’m here to drink with friends, not deal with arrogant fans,’” he recalled.

Meanwhile, reports have suggested Symonds missed a compulsory recovery session during his rehabilitation after being thrown out of the national team. According to a local newspaper, the player missed the “compulsory recovery session with Queensland in his third week back from cricketing exile”. (PTI)