Symonds caught out for fishing

(ap)

The long-term playing future of the Australia all-rounder Andrew Symonds is in doubt after he was dropped from the national squad for missing an important team meeting to go fishing. Senior players and team management voted to send Symonds home before Australia's opening one-day international against Bangladesh in Darwin at the weekend because of concerns about his commitment to the team.

The 33-year-old has been in trouble with team officials before and was almost sent home from the 2005 Ashes tour of England when he turned up to a match still under the influence of alcohol. Symonds' manager said that the Queenslander was so disillusioned that he had been dropped that he was pondering his future and considering skipping this year's tour of India.

"Andrew's going to take some time to reflect on what's happened," his manager Matt Fearon told reporters.

"He's still committed to playing cricket at the highest level. How he goes about doing that and how it plays out I don't know. Whether it means India I don't know."

The Australia coach, Tim Neilsen, said he was already resigned to losing Symonds for the Indian series.

Symonds has been a key member of the Australian Test side since scoring 156 against England at Melbourne during the 2006-07 Ashes. He has enjoyed a prolific last 12 months, with 777 runs in nine Tests against Sri Lanka, India and West Indies.