The prospects of Andrew Symonds rekindling his international cricket career have been dealt another blow, with the Australian player officially stripped of his contract for next season.
Symonds was one of 25 top Australian players offered playing contracts for the next year, starting from July 1st but the offer was revoked after he was sent home from the Twenty20 World Cup in England for disciplinary reasons.
Australia's national selectors announced on Friday they were offering the contract intended for Symonds to fast bowler Shaun Tait, who was considered unlucky to miss out on the original roster.
Symonds is expected to quit Australia to focus on the lucrative Indian Premier League after he was sent home in disgrace for an alcohol-related incident in London.
The 33-year-old has been dogged by off-field problems during his international career and only recently rejoined the team after undergoing counseling for alcohol problems.
Symonds revealed last year that he had started drinking heavily to cope with the pressure of constantly being in the spotlight as a professional sportsman.
Cricket Australia officials say the latest incident was relatively minor but they had no alternative other than to send him home because of his long record of ill-discipline.
