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| January 10, 2006 | Tuesday | Zilhaj 9, 1426 |
Warne eyes World Cup, wants assurance
SYDNEY, Jan 9: Australian champion leg-spinner Shane Warne wants to leave behind disgraceful exit from last World Cricket Cup in South Africa and Zimbabwe and now plans to resume his one-day career with an eye on next year’s mega event in the Caribbean, but seeks an assurance for a place in Aussie team for mega event.
Warne and his management have held private talks with chairman of selectors Trevor Hohns to explore possibility of spin wizard being part of next year’s World Cup in the Caribbean, The Australian reported Monday.
Hohns was also reported to be agreeing that super-sub rule might be a way out for Warne to return to one-day cricket, but said he could not give any guarantee for Warne’s inclusion in Aussie team.
The new rule, to be introduced in upcoming Tri-series featuring South Africa, Sri Lanka and home side, would allow Warne to field at slip during early overs, bowl his 10 overs and be subbed out before game reached its frantic conclusion, thus reducing toll that hectic ground fielding in limited overs format would have on his body, the newspaper quoted Hohns as saying.
Hohns said: “At the moment he is still retired and we can’t guarantee that we’ll pick him. He’s got to make himself available before World Cup because we’re trying to put together a squad with a view to World Cup. Last-minute inclusions are a little bit difficult.”
Chief selector said rehearsals for cricket’s biggest tournament will begin from Friday night’s opening Tri-series match against Sri Lanka at Melbourne’s Telstra Dome.
He also made it clear that Warne’s any comeback must be unconditional and just can’t be for World Cup, adding leg-spinner’s performance has to warrant him being included.
Captain Ricky Ponting has also not given up on Warne returning to one-day cricket for 2007 World Cup.
“I know he was upset and frustrated at the way he left one-day arena in 2003. I got impression over past year he would like to play that form of the game again,” Ponting wrote in his Ashes Diary.
Warne last played a one-day game for Australia in early 2003, before he was forced to return home during last World Cup in South Africa after he failed a drug test.—Agencies
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