News

Warne eyes World Cup return

Warne meets Hohns to discuss possibilities of a comeback

Cricinfo staff
10-Jan-2006


Shane Warne could be wearing colours again © Getty Images
Shane Warne is seeking a return to one-day cricket after an almost three-year hiatus as he expressed his intentions to participate in next year's World Cup in West Indies. Warne indicated that his final decision will hinge on his future as a Test player.
Warne told a news conference: "At the moment I'm retired [from one-day cricket] and I think my Test cricket's proven to be as good as it's ever been, so if that means I can't play one-day cricket any more and it will extend my Test career then maybe that's the way it has to stay. But you never say never."
During last week's Sydney Test, Warne discussed his future with Richie Benaud and the latter encouraged him to play as long as he can. Warne said, "Richie is the man, and if he wants me to try and do that I've got to do everything I possibly can to meet his expectations."
Warne met Trevor Hohns, Cricket Australia's convener of selectors, in private to discuss the possibilities of his participating in the 2007 World Cup. Hohns made it clear that the player tryouts for the World Cup would begin with the VB Series commencing on Friday and that Warne would have to make quick decisions if he is intent on participating. Warne has until October to make up his mind when the Australian selectors pick the 30-man squad.
"At the moment he's still retired and we can't guarantee that we'll pick him. Obviously if he makes himself available it just can't be for the World Cup. Last-minute inclusions are a little bit difficult. We've had a couple of chats about it and it's been very, very general, nothing specific at all," Hohns told The Australian.
Hohns cited the new Super-sub rule as a good enough reason for Warne and other ageing players like Glenn McGrath to prolong their careers. He said that Warne could probably field in the slips, bowl his quota of ten overs before being substituted for the rest of the game.
Warne announced his retirement from ODIs prematurely after the 2003 World Cup in South Africa following the shame of failing a drugs test before the tournament started. Ricky Ponting, the Australian captain, wrote in his Ashes Diary about Warne's humiliation after the incident but didn't rule out the possibility of Warne returning to the one-day arena.
Warne returned to represent the ICC World XI in the tsunami appeal match, a one-off ODI in January 2005 which was given official status. Ponting wrote, "During the tsunami match in Melbourne, he revelled in a return to the day-night atmosphere of coloured clothing, and I think it got his competitive juices flowing again."