Sport - Cricket;Symonds contemplating playing full IPL season in 2009

MELBOURNE: Australian all rounder and cricket's original Twenty20 millionaire, Andrew Symonds, has been fined for abusing Kiwi wicketkeeper-batsman Brendon McCullum, and while his long-term future will be decided next week by Cricket Australia, he is contemplating another IPL stint with the Hyderabad-based Deccan Chargers. According to Fox Sports, there is every chance that Symonds will be left at home from the South African tour and he may even have his contract torn up. If he is thrown out of the Australian team, he will at least be in a position to collect more than $1.5 million by competing in the entire 2009 IPL competition that begins in April. Active members of the Australian team will struggle to find more than two weeks in their busy schedule to participate in the six-week tournament and so will have their earnings capacity severely limited. The IPL has released a list of players who would be auctioned off next month for round two and Michael Clarke's name was at the top of the list with a reserve price of a million dollars. Clarke is understood to be in two minds about whether he should participate or concentrate on the crowded Australian cricket calendar. He withdrew from last year's auction because his father and his fiance's father were both sick at the time. His manger, Chris White, said the player had a lot to consider but would decide on Thursday after further consultation with IPL officials. The other Australians and their reserve prices for February's auction are: Brad Haddin ($250,000); Stuart Clark ($250,000) and Jason Krejza ($250,000).