Volatile Australian all-rounder Andrew Symonds has been warned he is on his last chance as an international cricketer after his latest disciplinary breach.
Symonds was a shock absentee when Australia played Bangladesh at the TIO Stadium on Saturday, having been sent back to Queensland for breaching team rules.
Symonds's passion for fishing is well documented and he is believed to have taken to the water early on Friday, the day before the first Bangladesh match. When a compulsory team meeting was called later that morning, Symonds did not know about it as he was already wetting a line. An optional training session was later held at the Marrara Cricket Ground, which he had already decided not to attend.
The keen angler is also believed to have been drinking alcohol against team rules later in the day while some of his teammates were engaging in training.
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 (CA) spokesman said here Saturday Symonds had been told his lucrative playing contract would be torn up if he transgressed again.
Symonds was told of the decision on Friday night in a meeting with the leadership group, which included Clarke, the coach Tim Nielsen, the team manager Steve Bernard, and Ponting via a teleconference.
Symonds flew out for Brisbane on Saturday afternoon and the ball is now in his court as to how he will respond to the team's concerns.
A replacement player will be sent to Darwin to boost the squad, which had only eleven fully fit players available for the first match.
Yesterday's situation was eerily similar to what happened back in 2005 when the big all-rounder was out on a late night binge on the eve of Australia's match against Bangladesh in Cardiff. Symonds was banned for the match and one more after he wobbled during pre-match training and subsequently, Australia famously lost to the Tigers.
And the Australian media's reaction during the lunch break was anything but comfortable as the match fell into a pattern that was akin to Cardiff as the world champions were restricted to a score of 250-plus again. But this time history did not repeat itself, as the Tigers were bowled out for a new low.
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."
Clarke now hopes Symonds will use his time back home in Brisbane to do some thinking and return stronger than ever in time for the upcoming tour of India.
"Andrew was very disappointed but he accepts our decision and I know Andrew pretty well and I hope he goes away from this and gets himself right and gets himself back into our team, because he's a very important player and we certainly want him as part of our squad," Clarke added.
Symonds' most famous fishing incident came in 1999 when he went out with Matthew Hayden and their boat sank off Queensland's North Stradbroke Island. The men were forced to swim for more than an hour through Moreton Bay in areas well known for sharks. On that occasion everyone was relieved the pair returned in good health.