Controversial all rounder Andrew Symonds' international career was virtually over on Thursday after he was sent home for an "alchohol related incident" dealing a blow to Australia's chances in the Twenty20 World Cup, starting on Friday.
Symonds, currently here with the Australian team for the championships, was said to have missed the training session at the Oval here after attending a team dinner at a hotel last night. He was accused of being involved in an alcohol-related incident of which no details were made public.
Captain Ricky Ponting told a press conference that the decision was taken in the "bigger picture" of Australian cricket but refused to give the details of the incident.
"He let himself down, he let his teammates down and let Cricket Australia down," said a disappointed Ponting.
Cricket Australia Chief Executive James Sutherland announced that Symonds contract was also under review.
"Tonight we have also advised him that we will take the (contract) offer off the table at this stage," he said.
The gifted all-rounder's 11-year-old career has been dogged by a string of controversies, including the 2008 'monkeygate' episode involving Indian off-spinner Harbhajan Singh, the gone-fishing saga earlier this year, besides a nightclub brawl in South Africa which earned him a two-match ban.
Ponting said he did not doubt Symonds' worth as a player but felt it was a right decision considering the bigger picture.
"There's no doubting Andrew's capabilities as a player, but there are other things happening around him that made the decision we've come to a relatively easy one."
"This is not wholly and solely about Andrew Symonds. This is about the Australian cricket team. We've got some young guys who are just finding out what international cricket is all about. This is about the bigger picture and bringing on the next generation of Australian players," he added.
Ponting said the team management had not yet decided on who would replace Symonds for the team's opening match of the tournament against the West Indies on Saturday.
Sutherland, meanwhile, revealed that the 33-year-old player broke a number of rules "in the last 24-48 hours".
"In isolation the breaches that I am talking about are not serious, but in the scheme of things, in the scheme of history, they are enough for it to be the final straw," Sutherland said.
"I'm disappointed in Andrew, but I'm also disappointed for Andrew. I'm sad about it," he added.
Symonds has played 26 Tests, making 1462 runs at an average of 40.61, with a highest score of 162 not out. He took 24 wickets at an average of 37.
In one-day internationals, he played 198 matches for Australia, averaging 39 with the bat and 37 with the ball.
Symonds, who failed to earn selection in Australia's Ashes squad announced last month, is believed to be contemplating retirement after the incident.
