Andrew Symonds says he's no alcoholic, just binge drinker

SACKED cricketer Andrew Symonds has claimed he is a binge dringer but not an alcoholic, confessing: "I go out and drink hard all in one hit. Too fast, too much."

TV confession ... Andrew Symonds.

SACKED Australian cricketer Andrew Symonds has claimed he is a binge dringer - but not an alcoholic.

Symonds spoke to the Nine Network's Sixty Minutes last night about his wayward disciplinary record which saw him sent home from the Twenty20 World Cup in England for breaking a Cricket Australia contract condition which decreed he could not drink in public on tour.

CA subsequently withdrew its offer of a new contract and Symonds international career is now considered over.

"I am not an alcoholic - I have been diagnosed as a binge drinker," Symonds said.

"I go out and drink hard all in one hit. Too fast, too much. Everyone's tolerance is different. I became not good to be around.

"I have let them (team-mates) down a number of times. I had to front up and apologise to them a number of times. They were embarrassing, difficult awkward situations. It is not ideal.

"I am not saying I am perfect but I am not setting out looking for trouble."

"I am not proud of the times I have drunk too much or been rude to people or broken team rules - it's unacceptable. I am out of that environment and that won't happen any more for those people."

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Symonds confirmed he had several drinks while watching the first State of Origin match while in England and thus broke the contract.

"I was rapt up in watching the football and when I got back I knew (I was in trouble)."

Symonds admitted the pressure of stardom thrust upon him in recent seasons and the stresses of a race row in which he was taunted by Indian spinner Harbhajan Singh had worn him down.

"It takes it out of you a little build at a time. At some point I was going to blow. Whether it was now or in two months time ..."