Even at the best of times, people should think twice about charging naked at Andrew Symonds. The Queensland all-rounder is Australia's version of Obelix, the boulder-carrying sidekick in the Asterix books. He hunts wild boars in his spare time and has a tendency to act first, think later.

Add into the mix the fact that Symonds has spent most of the winter's matches against India in the middle of one argument or another - and that he was attempting to save Australia from a third defeat in a row when the incident happened in Brisbane yesterday - and it was clear that there would be only one result when a pasty streaker decided to waggle his genitals over the popping crease.

As the pitch invader neared the wicket, with stewards in hot pursuit, Symonds steadied himself, lowered one shoulder and barged into the streaker, sending him flying. Symonds nonchalantly patted the pitch with his bat afterwards as the streaker was led away.

The winter training that Symonds had put in with the Brisbane Broncos rugby league team had obviously paid off. Six years ago he was considering leaving cricket to play rugby full-time. Clearly there is some simmering inclination.

At least Symonds came out of it undented, unlike Terry Alderman, the Australia fast bowler, who damaged a shoulder in attempting to tackle a pitch invader in the first Ashes Test in Perth in 1982 and wrote himself out of the rest of the series as a result.

There was speculation that Symonds could be charged with a breach of section 4.2 of the ICC's code of conduct, which covers physical assault of spectators. The penalty for the offence ranges from a ban of five Test matches to ten one-day internationals to life.

However, the ICC and Cricket Australia confirmed last night that Symonds would not be reprimanded. “He is not going to be charged because he brought down a spectator who entered the ground,” an ICC spokesman said, although he would not elaborate when asked if this meant that players could actively seek to bring down streakers.

The 26-year-old Brisbane man who invaded the pitch wearing only a sweatband on one arm was charged with interfering with a person playing sport and wilful, obscene exposure. He was remanded in custody pending a court appearance, where he faced a fine of A$3,000 (about £1,400).

Yet Queensland police said that Symonds could be charged with assault if a complaint is made.

“Symonds has no right to assault any person that enters the field,” Neil Lawler, a Brisbane lawyer, said. “I think Symonds is a champion cricketer, but that's reckless.”

The incident happened in the tenth over of Australia's reply to India's total of 258 for nine in the second final of the Commonwealth Bank Series, with the home team in difficulty at 34 for three. Play was held up again in the 42nd over by a second male streaker, but he was stopped by security personnel before reaching the pitch.

In what turned out to be Adam Gilchrist's final international appearance, India won by nine runs to seal the final series 2-0, having won in Sydney on Sunday. Sachin Tendulkar, who scored a century in the first final, made 91 yesterday. For the last time in his 11-year Australia career, Gilchrist walked before the umpire raised his finger after getting a thin edge to the third ball of Praveen Kumar's opening over. After the defeat, Gilchrist held a party for friends in the dressing-room. “It's not a fairytale ending tonight, but it has been a fairytale career,” he said.