Andrew Symonds

World Twenty20: Australia send Andrew Symonds home for 'alcohol related incident'

After Cricket Australia confirmed the news of the all-rounder's ejection from the squad, captain Ricky Ponting said: "There are a number of his own commitments that he has broken over the last 24-48 hours."They are not anything we forced upon him, they were his own commitments, that he was going to live by around the team and they were team rule breaches."There was more than one thing that happened and from me, I think it's best just leaving it at that.Ponting, who backed Symonds as a player in the past, informed the Australian team of the decision before today's practice."Little incidents like this that happen certainly don't have the best outcome on the whole group," Ponting said.This decision is about having the best team environment we can possibly have and giving ourselves the best opportunity of bringing on the next generation of Australian players.There's no such thing as a curfew in the Australian cricket team.You don't need curfews around good teams. That's what being part of the team's all about, having respect for yourself and your team-mates, and not disrespecting the opportunity you've got as an Australian player." Some of Australia's players watched the State of Origin rugby league match between Queensland and New South Wales late yesterday morning and Symonds was at a charity dinner with his team last night but not at this morning's net session at the Oval.He was controversially left out of Australia's Ashes squad but this latest transgression is certain to cast doubt on the future of his international career.It also deprives Australia of one of the game's leading Twenty20 players. Symonds destructive batting helped Deccan Chargers to win the second IPL.Australia were training at the Oval today, ahead of their opening ICC Twenty20 Cup match against West Indies which takes place at the same venue on Saturday.

Source; telegraph.co.uk