DARWIN, Aug 30: Star Australian all-rounder Andrew Symonds has been sent home from the one-day series against Bangladesh for breaching discipline, cricket officials said on Saturday.

Symonds was set to play in Saturday’s opening game here, but instead was heading back to Queensland after missing a team meeting on Friday and will play no part in the series.

Cricket Australia (CA) officials said team leadership had suggested on Friday night that Symonds be sent home.

Symonds missed the compulsory meeting because he went fishing, and also skipped a later optional training session.

The keen angler is also believed to have been drinking alcohol against team rules later in the day while some of his team-mates were engaging in a voluntary training session.

It is not the first time Symonds has been in trouble with team officialdom.

In 2005, he was suspended for two games after a drinking binge just before Australia suffered its only loss to Bangladesh in one-day cricket.

He also missed the team bus in the West Indies in June and was involved in an ongoing dispute with the Indians last summer.

Volatile Australian all-rounder Andrew Symonds has been warned he is on his last chance as an international cricketer after his latest disciplinary breach.

Injured Australian captain Ricky Ponting – a long-time supporter of Symonds – and stand-in skipper Michael Clarke played a key role in deciding Symonds would return home and play no part in the three-match series against Bangladesh.

A Cricket Australia spokesman said here on Saturday Symonds had been told his lucrative playing contract would be torn up if he transgressed again.

Speaking after Australia crushed Bangladesh by 180 runs, Clarke said Symonds was a required player, but needed to meet team ideals and show the necessary commitment to the cause.

“It’s so hard to play for this team,” he said.

“In my opinion we are the greatest sporting team in the world, and we have standards.

“They may be higher than other teams, but if you don’t fulfil those standards, unfortunately, you’re not going to be a part of our squad.

“The main concern for us is Andrew’s commitment to playing for this team.”

Symonds has played 22 Tests, but is one of the world’s premier one-day players, with a batting average of 40.37 in 193 One-day Internationals.

However, he has a chequered off-field record, having been suspended for two games in England in 2005 after turning up drunk to a match following a drinking binge.

He also raised eyebrows when he missed the team bus in the West Indies earlier this year.

—AFP