Australia-bound fast bowler George O?Brien jr has received the perfect send-off from one of local cricket?s legendary figures.

The temperamental St.David?s and St.George?s Cup Match opening bowler will attend a cricket academy in Brisbane, Queensland, along with Southampton Rangers? wicketkeeper Kwame Tucker.

And Calvin (Bummy) Symonds, who captained St.George?s? Cup Match team between 1961 and 1969, says he?s delighted to see O?Brien receive an opportunity to broaden his cricketing horizons Down Under.

The former all-rounder, who played alongside O?Brien?s grandfather, Sam Paynter, believes the fiery paceman will do well on the quicker paced surfaces in Australia.

The academy is geared towards helping overseas cricketers improve upon all facets of their game.

?I am extremely happy for George because this is a great opportunity for him, one that will either make or break him,? said Symonds, who also played professional football in the UK at Third Division Rochdale in the early 1950s.

?This youngster is the best fast bowler I?ve seen since the likes of Lee Raynor left the game. We haven?t had anything near George?s speed since Lee stop playing the game.?

Raynor, who scored over 1,500 runs in the Western Counties competition between 1962 and 1982, opened both the bowling and batting for Symonds? St.George?s Cup Match side.

Although Arguably the Island?s quickest opening bowler, O?Brien has, at times, found himself in hot water for his temperament ? most recently for his shenanigans with Somerset?s Stephen Outerbridge during last summer?s Cup Match at Wellington Oval.

The incident that occurred late on the second day soured what had otherwise been a memorable debut for the St.George?s colt who claimed remarkable match figures of 11 for 120 to spur St.George?s to a 27-run victory over Somerset ? the lowest margin of victory since 1959.

Both O?Brien and Outerbridge issued public apologies for their antics and were placed on probation.

Prior to that, O?Brien was jettisoned from the Under-21 national youth team in 2003 for his involvement in an altercation with Western Stars and Arbroath Cricket Club player Treadwell Gibbons jr during a practice session at the National Sports Centre.

Symonds has now urged O?Brien to put his disciplinary troubles behind him and focus instead on bigger and better things to come.

?George is fiery just like his grandfather (Paynter) used to be,? he said. ?However, Sam knew how to keep his temperament under control. But I?m sure the instructors in Australia will know how to handle him. They will show him the way just like they handled Glenn McGrath (Australian opening bowler). He also had a fiery temperament but they never crucified him.

?Unfortunately here whenever someone does something wrong we want to crucify them. We need to be building George up and refrain from talking negative about him. And I want to thank Bermuda Cricket Board for giving him a chance.?

Symonds, who also represented Key West Rangers football side before going on to captain PHC Zebras after the two clubs amalgamated in 1956, said O?Brien only stands to gain from the experience.

?I am glad they are sending him to Australia because that?s where I think his chances of a local team down there spotting his potential are greater,? added Symonds, cousin of Bermuda vice-captain Janeiro Tucker.

?The Aussies love fast bowlers and they still practise on the concrete wickets and have very good coaches and academies. But now it?s all up to George and hopefully in another three months he should make a complete turnaround.?

Speaking to last week, O?Brien stated: ?I know I can get faster and more accurate. It?s just a matter of working as hard as I can.?