LEEDS: Australia all-rounder Andrew McDonald has left the Ashes tour of England, temporarily, to be with his pregnant wife who is expecting the couple's first child, a team spokesman told reporters here on Saturday.

McDonald, who has yet to feature in any of the first four Tests of the ongoing five-match Ashes series, left the squad's hotel on Friday.

But he is due back in England on Thursday ahead of the tour match against Kent which starts on Saturday, August 15.

His wife is expected to give birth while he is in Australia.

Medium pace all-rounder McDonald, 28, has played four Tests with his last appearance coming against South Africa at Cape Town in March.

England currently lead the series 1-0 but Ashes-holders Australia started the second day of the ongoing fourth Test here at Headingley on Saturday well-placed at 196 for four in reply to the hosts' first innings 102 all out.

The fifth and final Test of the Ashes starts at The Oval, in south London, on August 20.