KENT all-rounder Andrew Symonds is being whisked away to play Australia’s re-scheduled one-day internationals in Zimbabwe and will miss the county’s next four games.

The Queenslander will fly to Harare from Heathrow on Saturday evening after completing Kent’s championship match with Northamptonshire at Wantage Road.

Symonds will hope to play in Australia’s three limited overs international next Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday and return to England on Sunday May 30.

The shock call from Cricket Australia means Symonds will miss Sunday’s totesport League match with Northamptonshire Steelbacks, Kent’s four-day clash with Surrey starting at the Oval on Tuesday and their third round Cheltenham & Gloucestershire Trophy tie in Birmingham next Saturday.

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.

At such late notice, Kent will be unable to replace Symonds for the week and club 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 month of the season when Symonds joins up with Australia for their ICC Champions Trophy preparations.