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| October 8, 2001 | Monday | Rajab 20, 1422 |
Warne metres away from jackpot
SYDNEY, Oct 7: Shane Warne came within a few metres of pocketing one million dollars ($500,000) in the opening game of the Australian cricket season here Sunday.
The champion Test legspinner just missed hitting a designated sponsor’s sign, which carried the bonanza during Victoria’s one-day match with New South Wales at Bankstown Oval.
As part of this season’s domestic Cup one-day series, the designated signs become targets whenever a six is hit and stay live until the end of the over in which the six is hit.
After hitting fellow legspinner Stuart MacGill over midwicket for six, Warne turned to square leg and appeared to eye the sign affixed to the boundary fence.
“I wasn’t actually going for the sign but I got a rank full toss from Stu and I just had to hit for six,” said Warne, whose Victorian team’s winning hopes had long since disappeared.
“Off the stick, Mark Waugh and Brad Haddin behind the stumps said: ‘I think you’ve got it’ but the wind just curled it around a bit and it just missed,” Warne said of his shot for instant riches.
Warne, whose Victorian side lost by 123 runs, estimated it missed by about two metres (yards) and was disappointed he couldn’t give his team something to celebrate.
“It would have been a nice positive to get out of a disappointing game.”
NSW skipper Shane Lee admitted he thought the money was about to go to Warne’s way.
“It went really close but I’m glad he didn’t hit it — Warney’s one guy that doesn’t need it,” Lee added with a smile.
Scores: NSW 256 for nine in 50 overs (Shane Lee 83, Ian Harvey 3-38). Victoria 133 in 35.3 overs (Don Nash 3-31)—AFP/Reuters
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