Brad Williams suspended for remainder of season

Brad Williams: reacted badly to being dropped © Getty Images

Brad Williams has been suspended for the rest of the season by Western Australia after a hearing into his conduct last week when he reportedly refused to play in an ING Cup match against Tasmania.

Williams is said to have stormed out of a training session last Thursday after being told he had been dropped for the Pura Cup game against Tasmania that started on Sunday. He subsequently withdrew from Friday's one-day match, also against Tasmania, shortly before the start. Both moves were viewed by the WA board as being in breach of his playing contract.

Williams attended the hearing in Perth and was suspended from the state's squad for the remainder of the 2005-06 season. That means that as well as not playing, he will not be able to take part in training or to attend matches and official functions.

The WA Cricket Association stressed that his contract had not been terminated and that he would still be paid his basic remuneration. "I am very disappointed with the whole outcome," Williams said as he left the hearing. Paul Marsh, chief executive of the Australian Cricketers' Association, was more forthcoming. "The message here is that they don't want him to play for WA," he said. "The WACA has not shown much loyalty to a guy who has been very loyal over six years."

Williams was dropped after a poor start to the season, taking five wickets, and against New South Wales earlier this month he took 0 for 104. He has also been plagued by a series of shoulder, back and knee injuries. His one-day form has been more impressive, with 12 wickets at 16.08.