Australian Cricket Board chief executive Malcolm Speed said Ponting had also been given a suspended fine of A$ 5,000, on condition he seeks professional help for his alcohol problem.

The 24-year-old Australian batsman will be allowed to rejoin the team after Tuesday's match against England in Adelaide.

Ponting missed Australia's last two matches after the ACB charged him with breaching the player's code of conduct when he was involved in a fight outside a Sydney nightclub in the early hours of Monday morning.

Ponting, who had been tipped as a future Australian Test captain, said he had been drinking at the time and has promised to get help.

The incident was the latest in a series of incidents involving Ponting that have overshadowed his achievements on the field.

He was fined by theAustralian management for an incident in a Calcutta disco during last year's tour of India.