KENT all-rounder Andrew Symonds hopes to return to England on Sunday in time to play in Kent’s next totesport League game against Hampshire at The Rose Bowl on Bank Holiday Monday.

The Queensland all-rounder was whisked away to play Australia’s re-scheduled one-day internationals in Zimbabwe on Saturday evening and will miss several crucial games.

After scoring a century in Kent’s championship win at Wantage Road on Saturday, Symonds was driven to Heathrow for his flight to Harare to play in Australia’s three limited overs internationals which strated on Tuesday.

The shock call from Cricket Australia means Symonds missed Sunday’s totesport League match defeat against the Steelbacks.

He is also absent for Kent’s four-day clash with Surrey which started at the Oval on Tuesday and will miss the third round Cheltenham & Gloucestershire Trophy tie in Birmingham on Saturday, but should be back in time to take on Hampshire on Monday.

The decision to bring forward the one-day internationals follows Zimbabwe’s move to postpone the two-Test series planned to start in Harare later this month.

Kent officials have now shelved plans to bring over New Zealand paceman Ian Butler as locum for Symonds.

Butler had been pencilled in to replace Symonds in championship games at New Road and Tunbridge Wells next month, but will no longer be required until the last seven to eight weeks of the season when Symonds joins up with Australia for their ICC Champions Trophy preparations.

Mohammad Sami will be absent for a similar period in late August, when Kent will call on Australian run-getter Michael Bevan as their second overseas professional.

Symonds had mixed success in the opening one-day international against Zimbabwe.

Australia won comfortably, by seven wickets, but the all-rounder finished wicketless from nine overs, which cost him 53 runs.