Symonds faces censure

Andrew Symonds is set to appear before a Cricket Australia hearing this week

All-rounder Andrew Symonds has been called before a Cricket Australia Code of Conduct hearing over comments made about New Zealand's Brendon McCullum.

Symonds told a radio program he thought McCullum was a “lump of s**t” following the Kiwi wicketkeeper-batsman's decision to play for New South Wales in the final of the KFC Big Bash on Saturday.

Cricket Australia has placed embattled all-rounder Symonds on report for a breach of the Code of Behaviour relating to detrimental public comment.

CA Code of Conduct senior commissioner Gordon Lewis will oversee the hearing at Cricket Australia's offices in Melbourne on Thursday.

"Given the importance of the tribunal hearing, it would be inappropriate to comment on the issue now a report has been made," said acting CA chief executive Michael Brown.

"Once the outcome of this hearing is finalised, CA will be in a better position to assess issues relating to Andrew Symonds."

Any suspension would delay Symonds' comeback from injury in the upcoming Sheffield Shield match against Western Australia, which starts on Friday.

It would also cast doubt on his future with the national team given he was suspended for going fishing rather than attending a team meeting in Darwin last year.

Symonds has a long list of disciplinary issues, most notably on the 2005 tour of England, when he was dropped before a one-day international against Bangladesh for turning up under the influence of alcohol.