5 Jun 2009

Symonds' behaviour saddens peers

4:29 pm on 5 June 2009

Australia and England cricketers have been saddened by Andrew Symonds' latest off-field problems, which are expected to spell the end of the controversial allrounder's international career.

Victoria's Cameron White has been rushed into Australia's squad for the World Twenty20 just two days before their tournament opener in London after Cricket Australia sent Symonds home for breaking team rules related to alcohol and other unspecified issues.

Teammates Brett Lee and Mike Hussey say Symonds will be a big loss to Australia while the England allrounder Andrew Flintoff says the tournament will suffer from the loss of such a talented player.

But the Australian captain Ricky Ponting expressed disappointment at what turned out to be the last straw for a player with a long history of testing the team's patience with his off-field behaviour.

Ponting says there was an alcohol-related incident and Symonds broke commitments he'd made to himself and to the team.