I'm not an alcoholic, I'm a binge-drinker - Symonds

Andrew Symonds has revealed his struggle with binge-drinking but has denied he is an alcoholic, while claiming the Australian team environment led to his deterioration.

The former test all-rounder, who was sent home from England for breaching contract stipulations regarding alcohol consumption just prior to the World Twenty20, has been clinically diagnosed as a binge-drinker

"I'm not an alcoholic, I've been diagnosed as a binge-drinker," Symonds told Channel Nine. "I'd go out and drink too much, too fast."

But Symonds said now he is no longer a part of the Australian team, the urge to turn to the bottle has left him.

"I'm not proud of the times that I've drunk too much and been rude to someone or broken team rules. Now I'm out of that environment, that won't happen any more for those people in that team and for me. In that environment, I was caged in. It takes it out of you a little bit at a time, then there's the build-up from that and … boom. I sit back now and look back and [at] some point I was going to blow, I was going to bust."

Following several off-field controversies involving alcohol, Symonds agreed to add an unusual condition to his contract with Cricket Australia - not to drink in public. But when he returned to the team he confronted the same pressures that had led him to drink excessively previously.

After a practice match against Bangladesh, Symonds was so eager for a drink he snuck out of the team hotel and went to a bar. The following morning, he resumed drinking with teammates while watching the first State of Origin match and alarm bells rang among the team's senior players and management.

After discussions between the leadership group of captain Ricky Ponting, deputy Michael Clarke, coach Tim Nielsen and team manager Steve Bernard, it was recommended to CA chief executive James Sutherland that Symonds be sent home. It was obvious in that instant that the 34-year-old's international career was over - he had been given too many chances to reform.

"I love Origin football and for me, with Origin football comes a few beers," Symonds said. "I was wrapped up in watching football and then when I got back [from the pub] I knew then [my career was over]."

Symonds has since been cut from CA's list of contracted players and was not offered a deal by state team Queensland - at his request.

- © Fairfax NZ News