Actions will speak louder than words for Australian cricket discard Andrew Symonds this summer, according to new Queensland Bulls coach Trevor Barsby.
Which is just as well - Symonds was again tight-lipped at the Bulls' season launch today.
Barsby clearly had no problem with Symonds' silent treatment, saying it was his impact on the field that counted.
And Barsby did not rule out Symonds walking out for the first Test against New Zealand from November 20 at the Gabba if he let his cricket do the talking.
"Anything is possible. We've got three Shield games and four one dayers before that first Test," Barsby said.
"If he is scoring hundreds it is going to be pretty hard not to pick him."
Symonds has racked up more runs for Queensland than sentences since apologising for the "gone fishing" controversy that cost him his spot in the Australian cricket team.
That's no mean feat - Symonds notched just 17 runs from five innings for the Bulls in the recent six-game Twenty20 series against Indian Premier League team Kolkata Knight Riders.
Symonds politely declined interviews at the Bulls' media launch in Brisbane today but it was made abundantly clear what was expected of the fallen allrounder this summer.
The dreadlocked match-winner looked on with a packed media contingent as a sneak preview of Cricket Australia's 2008-09 TV promotion was unveiled - and Symonds featured prominently.
He has already been tipped to make his return to big-time cricket in a November 14 Twenty20 clash between an Australian XI and an All-Stars line-up at the Gabba.
Barsby said Symonds looked on track before Queensland's Sheffield Shield opener against Tasmania at the Gabba starting on Friday.
"Roy (Symonds) is Roy. He is doing what he needs to do to get ready," he said.
And if Symonds' comeback does go awry, the former Bulls opener affectionately dubbed "Tank" said he would be there for him.
"All I am doing is being a support system for Andrew," said Barsby, who takes over from Terry Oliver.
"All I have said to Andrew is that `if you need anything, I'm here for your wellbeing and to get you back into the Australian side'.
"(But) he knows what he needs to do.
"You can see with his presence in the side, at training the intensity has increased, the games against Kolkata, having him in the dressing room passing on his knowledge to the players - you can't put a price on that."
New Bulls skipper Chris Simpson said Barsby - who played 111 games for his state - had already had a profound effect on the whole Queensland line-up.
"The knowledge and experience of a 100 game veteran, you can't replace that in any coaching structure - he has installed a lot of faith and a back to basics approach," he said.
"He is enabling the senior guys to be more relaxed and open in explaining to the younger guys what it is to be a Queensland Bull.
"The passion and the steps needed in order to succeed - that's the biggest thing that Tank has brought to the group."
