WELLINGTON: Vice-captain Michael Clarke quit Australia’s cricket tour of New Zealand for personal reasons and has returned to his Sydney home.

Clarke, 28, left the team hotel on the eve of its third one-day international against New Zealand at Hamilton on Tuesday, and it was not known if or when he would rejoin the tour, Cricket Australia general manager of cricket Michael Brown said.

“Michael is attending to personal, non-cricket matters and we ask on his behalf that his privacy be respected,” Brown said.

Clarke’s fiancée, Australian model Lara Bingle, recently announced she would sue former boyfriend and Australian Rules football player Brendan Fevola over nude photographs allegedly taken during their relationship that were later distributed without her permission.

An Australian magazine last week published a photo of Bingle in the shower, allegedly taken in 2006 while she and Fevola were involved in a relationship.

Bingle, 22, said she was humiliated by the photo’s publication and was suing the footballer to restore her “dignity and self respect”.

Clarke’s manager, Chris White, said: “Michael has arrived home to support Lara through this difficult time.”

Cricket Australia named Tasmania’s George Bailey as Clarke’s replacement for the remainder of the five-match, limited-overs series.

Australian selectors were due to name a squad Tuesday for two test matches against New Zealand but delayed the announcement while Clarke’s availability remained uncertain.

“Due to Michael Clarke returning to Australia for personal reasons, the national selection panel has today added George Bailey to the one day squad,” chairman of selectors Andrew Hilditch said.

After Australia’s six-wicket win over New Zealand on Tuesday, skipper Ricky Ponting said Clarke had the full support of the national team.

“He knows from all of us within the team that he has got all the support that he needs,” Ponting said.

“The last thing that I said to him last night before he left was for him to take as much time as he needed and hopefully we can do the right thing over here and win the series without him.” —AP