Symonds loses CA contract, Tait cashes in

Sydney:

Cricket Australia said on Friday it had withdrawn its contract offer to disgraced allrounder Andrew Symonds, sent home from the World Twenty20 after the latest in a series of alcohol-related indiscretions.

"Cricket Australia has advised Andrew Symonds that his contract offer for the next contract year (starting July 1) has been withdrawn," CA general manager of operations Michael Brown said.

"Selectors have convened and have added (fast bowler) Shaun Tait to the contract list for the coming year."

Brown said he hoped Symonds would continue to play domestic cricket in Australia.

"We've given him our full support if he so chooses to play state cricket and hopefully he's not lost to the Australian game," he said.

"He's a world-class player and if Andrew would like to play, Australian cricket would like to see him back playing for Queensland."

But Symonds, who is deciding on his future plans after also fielding interest from England and South Africa, has advised Queensland Cricket not to include him on their contract list for next season.

"Andrew has been upfront with us and made a very selfless gesture by advising us not to contract him," Queensland Cricket chief executive Graham Dixon said.

"He knows the door is open here and we look forward to catching up with him when he's ready to have a chat about what his plans might be."

Symonds said when he was sent home from the Twenty20 in England last week that he had "a fair bit to consider" about his playing career.

He was a success in the Indian Premier League, helping the Deccan Chargers to the Twenty20 title in South Africa last month and has another year left on his Deccan contract.

Tait's new contract comes after he was controversially omitted from the original list last month.

It sparked an angry response from the 26-year-old express bowler, who was also upset CA had barred him from turning out in the IPL due to injury concerns.

"Shaun was disappointed (at the time)," Brown said. "He wants to play for Australia. He's a had a horrific run of injuries in recent times."

Tait is playing in England and will link with the Australian Ashes squad when it moves from Leicester to London next week to help out in the nets.

"Shaun at his best is an important part of our one-day international and Twenty20 make-up and I'm sure he will now seize the opportunity presented to him with this offer of a further Australian contract," selection chairman Andrew Hilditch said.