Bichel joins Warne's team

Former Australian fast bowler Andy Bichel will join Queensland teammate Shane Watson in a short-term English county cricket stint with Hampshire. Bichel, who last played for Australia 18 months ago, will join Hampshire, currently captained by Shane Warne, for five weeks in August. Warne will be on test duties during this period.

Shane Warne Cricket for Mobile

Here is a hot of the press PRESS RELEASE for Com2uS who are to release a new Shane Warne Cricket for Mobile game:

Australian leg-spin bowling legend Shane Warne joins gamers in Shane Warne Cricket, a cricket game for mobile that challenges the batting and bowling skills of users in international cricket. The game, developed and published with Com2uS together with Shane Warne, will be available on java-enabled handsets from July through major carriers in Australia and the UK, with plans for other cricket-loving countries to follow. It will initially be available exclusively for 1 month to Three Australia customers.

Substitute rules suit Warne return

The rule changes designed to reinvigorate the moribund 50-overs game also could provide the lure needed to relaunch the one-day career of the game's most controversial and colourful player: Shane Warne, according to The Australian.

Warne announced his decision to quit the abbreviated game after the 2003 World Cup, citing a willingness to prolong his Test career. But his subsequent 12-month ban for testing positive to a banned diuretic before the tournament left him stranded short of his stated goals of 200 one-day international appearances (he has played in 194) and 300 wickets (he has taken 293).

Simone's anger at Shane

Simone Warne "hit the roof" when she discovered her husband's latest infidelities, his long-term text friend said last night. Michelle Masters, the Southampton secretary who has traded up to 30 text messages a day with the Test star, said Warne told her his wife was devastated by accusations he had bedded student Laura Sayers in a London hotel. She was very upset, Ms Masters told The Daily Telegraph yesterday.

"She has woken to these allegations from that woman last Sunday," Ms Masters said. "How do you think she'd feel. She just hit the roof. She was very, very upset."

Warne down

The Mirror has again published an exclusive claiming Shane Warne bedded a blonde and bombarded her with filthy texts in a two-month fling as his marriage collapsed.
The 35-year-old Aussie spin bowler had sex with Kerrie Colliemore, 31, on the bonnet of his BMW, The Mirror reported Tuesday. The paper said Warne told Colliemore that he and wife Simone had separated.
A close friend of Colliemore's said: "He couldn't keep his hands off her. He wanted sex everywhere — outside, inside, wherever he could."
The friend also found 48 messages from Warne on Kerrie's phone which the sales manageress had left lying around.

Warne reflections

There have been a few relections from various cricket commentators on recent events with Shane Warne. Peter Roebuck has written an interesting reflection today in the Sydney Morning Herald, which he titled A Legend who failed life's tests. Here is a sample:

Greatness requires a willingness to grapple with reality, and to accept responsibility for mistakes. Genius allows a man to inhabit a fanciful world of permanent adolescence. On the field the genius can write his own script. Off it, the magic is lost.

The Australian cricket writer Malcolm Conn, writes under the heading Cyclone Shane:

In his leading role as sport's soap star, it is one of the few places he can feel totally open and at ease. Even before he became arguably the greatest bowler of all time, Warne had no qualms about expressing his views, from football to food and fashion. He loves the team environment, the banter and camaraderie that develops during weeks and months on tour living in the cocoon that is Team Australia.

Robert Craddock in the Herald Sun, under the heading Warne will deliver, says:

When Shane was banned for a year for taking drugs he came back and performed immediately. We see all sorts of players over the years who come back from devastating setbacks and perform.

Aussies will rally behind Warne - Slater

Former Australian teammate Michael Slater, whose private life famously spilled into his cricketing career, believes Shane Warne's marriage breakdown will cause little distraction to his side's Ashes campaign. Reporting on 7News Slater, who underwent a separation from his wife Stephanie during the 2001 Ashes tour, was hopeful Warne's teammates would rally around the legspinner, who announced over the weekend he and wife Simone had parted after almost 10 years of marriage.

Warne could be stumped

Shane Warne may be headed for a battle over his assets following the announcement of his separation from wife Simone. The Sydney Morning Herald reports:

A divorce could cost Warne, one of the world's highest-paid cricketers, at least half of everything he owns, a family law expert said. Victorian solicitor Michael Taussig, QC, said a couple with children who had been married for at least a decade would usually split their assets equally if they divorced.
But Mr Taussig said there were no rules about the division of property. He said Warne might argue that he was entitled to a greater share of assets because his earnings had largely paid for them.

Warne should have been given help

Cricket Australia must accept some blame for Shane Warne's marriage breakdown, a South Australian politician said today. Cricket Australia should have made marriage counselling a condition of Warne's contract, Family First's SA leader Andrew Evans said. Mr Evans, a member of the state Parliament's Legislative Council and also a marriage counsellor for the past 30 years, said the separation of Warne and his wife Simone was tragic. But he believed CA could have done more to protect the couple, who have three children. Quoted in News.com.au he said:

"It (CA) could have helped him," "I think they (CA) have a lot of love and appreciation for Shane, but their expertise is cricket, not personal relationships.
"The events leading up to this tragic break-up ... were well and clearly on CA's radar.
"CA has no defence now to suggest it could not have done more to protect the family of one of our loved sporting heroes.
"Before CA casts the first stone against Shane Warne and his troubled past, the board must first conduct an internal review into itself to examine whether it had provided sufficient services to deal with Shane's issues and protect Shane's greatest asset, his wife and children."

Aussies plan for Ashes

The Herald Sun reports that the Australian cricket team had already made plans to deal with Shane Warne's marriage break-up before the news of his split with wife Simone became public on Saturday. Warne's whereabouts are unknown but coach John Buchanan revealed yesterday he had spoken to Warne from Durham last week after the latest revelations surfaced. The state of Warne's marriage - and how this would impact on his Ashes preparation - was a key issue. According to the Mirror he is laying low in Spain until required by the Australian test squad.

Warne's shoulder to cry on

The tabloids have revealed that Michelle Masters is the woman Shane Warne sought companionship in as his marriage fell apart and she was text messaging him up to 30 times a day. Masters, a secretary at a TV station near where Warne has settled in Southampton, has been a frequent companion during the past few months, it has been revealed. The two have also sent dozens of text messages to each other as Warne faced fresh allegations of infidelity, charges that appear to have led to his separation from wife Simone at the weekend. Although Michelle strongly denies their relationship was sexual, but just good friends and have been close since her engagement to his former Hampshire teammate Alex Morris in 2001. The couple invited the Shane to be their best man.

Simone heads home

Simone Warne and her three children were heading back to Australia last night after the split with husband Shane. The Melbourne-based couple recently bought an $800,000 home in Southampton and were looking to place the children in an English school, but it appears this dream has finally ended. The Sydney Morning Herald reports:

Shane Warne came to live in England a few months ago in part because he wanted a quieter life. He was tired of having his every move monitored, and had expressed annoyance at his treatment by the Australian media. So he moved to the country with the most savage tabloid newspapers on Earth.
Those papers, along with his own behaviour, have probably ended Warne's marriage.

Warne's announce seperation

Shane Warne and his wife Simone announced the break-up of their marriage yesterday. This came following yet another scandal involving Warne was announced in the English press last week.
In a brief statement issued by Warne's manager and brother Jason, the couple said they remained the best of friends and would continue to be there for their three children.
"It is with regret that we inform you that we have decided to separate," the statement said.
"We remain the best of friends and we will continue to be there for our three beautiful children. Please respect our privacy at this difficult and tough time."
Australian captain Ricky Ponting hopes Shane Warne will be able to concentrate on his cricket during the forthcoming Ashes Test series, despite the leg spinner's announcement overnight.

Lloyd fears Warne onslaught, again

The former England coach David Lloyd believes the present side's strategy against Shane Warne could be the deciding factor again in their quest for the Ashes this summer. Speaking to The Independent, Lloyd is obviously worried about the Warne effect.
Since Warne first came to England for Ashes battles he claiming 132 wickets in his 26 Tests against England and 89 victims in 17 matches on English soil.

We are at our best with backs to the wall

Shane Warne has penned his latest article for Times Online. In it he talks about how this great Australian side performs well under pressure, and expects them to bounce back hard. Quite prophetic in that it was written before Australia's recent victory over a nervous England. I like this reflection:

We are not in uncharted territory here. I remember my second tour, in 1997, when we lost all three one-day matches and the first Test. We eventually won the Ashes series 3-2, and England’s second win was in the dead game at the Oval. Then, two years later, we were all but out of the World Cup. We needed to win seven games in a row, but we did it with the help of a tied semi-final against South Africa.

Simone stands by her man

Simone Warne came out today and defended the sex claims made against her husband Shane yesterday.Speaking to the Mirror, she said:

"It's rubbish - I'm used to it. Everything is fine between Shane and me. We are fine."

Shane Warne and THE sex scandal

The press is full of another sex scandal, implicating Shane Warne. Broken yesterday in the Sunday Mirror is a claim that he cheated again on his wife with a 25 year old blond English student.

Laura Sayers, 25, told how the Hampshire captain stripped naked in front of her before begging for sex.
But when Laura gave in to the Aussie dad-of-three's naked demands, she was left stumped in no time.
"It was all over very quickly. I could have been a blow-up doll for all he cared. He just had one thing on his mind," said finance student Laura.
She says their one-night stand came on the eve of the Australian cricket team's Ashes tour of England.

Papers around the world have been quick to headline the story, especially painful for the Australians given their horrendous week of cricket.
The Sydney Morning Herald, reports;

An English woman has accused Australian Test star Shane Warne of badgering her to have sex after a night out in London in April.

The Mirror claimed;

AUSSIE cricket star Shane Warne was last night fighting to save his marriage after new claims he cheated on his wife with a student.

The Melbourne Age linked it with Australia's recent woes,

After a brief period of domestic peace, Shane Warne has been caught up in a new scandal, with old elements: a blonde, a nightclub and a tabloid newspaper.

The Independent Online spoke of his marriage troubles,

Australia star Shane Warne was reported on Monday to be fighting to save his marriage after new claims that he cheated on his wife with a student.

AAP spoke of Warnes silence on the issue,

Warne refused to comment on the allegation and says he is sick of having to defend himself against publicity seekers who try to gain notoriety at his expense.

The truth of these claims may never be known, but suffice to say there have in the recent past been more than a few who have put forward claims, often in return for money, that have proved to be false. as the old saying says, maybe time will tell, we hope for Shane that not all the mud stickes.

Enjoy the moment England

Shane Warne can't see what all the fuss is about. In his latest column for Times Online, Warney says:

Gloating supporters be warned, the real battle has yet to begin
SORRY, but I spent yesterday morning thinking that I’d missed something. Had England won the Ashes? That’s the way it seemed with all the headlines in the papers and the gibes I was getting from cricket fans. I’ve hardly been able to stop at a traffic light without somebody winding down a window and shouting: “79 all out.”

He's trying to put a positive spin on an otherwise disappointing, if not totally embarrassing start by the Australians to their Ashes campaign. Can he rev them up? We'll see over the next couple of days as the one day series hots up.

Warney says England will be in a spin.

Shane Warne has warned England they could be in for a mauling if they lose their concentration at any time in this summer's Ashes series.

Warne who is entering his seventh Ashes series insists this one will proceed just
like the past six, with an emphatic Australian victory the eventual outcome, unless England can hold their focus

England struck the first blow of the Ashes tour on Monday with their Twenty20 international victory, a match in which Warne, who has retired from one-day cricket, played no part.

Warne fires again

Never far from the thick of action, Hampshire captain Shane Warne was at it again at the Rose Bowl on the first day of Hampshire's match against Surrey yesterday. After a loud confident appeal for a catch against Surrey opener Scott Newman was rejected.

Umpire Alan Whitehead, a veteran former international official who stood in five Tests, turned down heated appeals and at the end of the over spoke at length to the Australian leg-spinning legend, appearing to reprimand Warne for his team's behaviour.

Whitehead refused to comment about the nature of his close conversation with Warne, which lasted for several minutes and later also involved the other umpire, Nigel Cowley.

Thats our man Warne, never too far from it and just warming up for the Ashes.

MCC XI vs International XI

Shane Warne found himself on the end of some heavy hitting in a charity match at Lord's to raise funds for the victims of last year's tsunami across the Indian Ocean.

Playing for an International XI, Warne took 2-64 from eight overs against an MCC XI, which racked up 7-327 from its 50 overs.

New Zealand captain Stephen Fleming and South Africa's Jacques Kallis each made 62 for the MCC, which then bowled out the World XI for 215 to win by 112 runs.

Don't forget the Warney mask

Maybe time to get the scissors out and revisit the Warney mask, in time for the Ashes.

Warne: still the incomparable master of spin bowler's craft

Michael Atherton has written an interesting piece on Shane Warne. It is full of intrigue about the man as well as respect. Can't wait for the 5 day game to begin in the battle for the Ashes.
Playing from Home also has a nice comment on his blog in relation to Atherton and Warney, which I agree with. For years now I find it almost impossible to drag myself away from the TV when Warney is bowling, because it always feels like something is about to happen... and usually does.

Warne vs Barmy Army

Shane Warne is expecting a fiery reception from England supporters during this summer's Ashes series.

Warne said: "The Barmy Army are an intelligent crowd and I'd be disappointed if they don't have a song ready for me for the start of the series.

"But it's good for cricket, the Barmy Army are great for cricket and add to hype surrounding the series."

Bald Warney

After taking more scalps than any other Test cricketer, Shane Warne has turned his attention to his own thinning locks.

Warne fronted a Sydney video conference to promote a hair-loss treatment after being ribbed by team-mates about his bald patch.

The treatment involves weekly sessions under a metal contraption containing lasers that are designed to stimulate the scalp, running chemicals into his hair and taking special capsules.

"It's great my hair is growing back and my hair loss has stopped," he said.

Warne fundraiser cancelled due to hoaxers

Shane Warne and Sachin Tendulkars fund-raising extravaganza during the Lords tsunami appeal match today has been cancelled because of internet hoaxers.

The pair had planned to offer a fan an unforgettable experience in the mid-innings interval during the match between the MCC and an International XI.

The highest bidder in an ebay auction was to receive 15 minutes coaching from Tendulkar, who was unable to play in the game after undergoing elbow surgery, before facing an over from Warne on the Lord's pitch.

Organisers had hoped the auction would raise a five-figure sum to help a range of projects in the tsunami-hit areas of Asia but it was discovered that the highest bids were made by hoaxers.

"As the auction ended on Saturday afternoon, there has been insufficient time to arrange for the highest legitimate bidder to come to Lord's to receive the coaching from Sachin Tendulkar and to face the over from Shane Warne," the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) said in a statement.

The match is being played to aid survivors of the December 26 tsunami, which left more than 220,000 people dead or missing and thousands homeless around the Indian Ocean area.

Assaf Admoni, director of fund-raising for the Leonard Cheshire Foundation which arranged the auction, said: I'm appalled that people could do this. They've wrecked an event that would have raised much-needed funds for a range of very important tsunami recovery and relief projects."

Tsunami auction an over against Warne

Sachin Tendulkar and Shane Warne will give a wealthy fan the opportunity of a lifetime with one-on-one tips during next Tuesday's tsunami appeal match between MCC and an International XI at Lord's. During the lunch break the highest on-line auction bidder for the prize will receive 15 minutes of coaching from Tendulkar before walking out to the middle to face an over from Warne, the world's leading Test wicket-taker.

Warne rebukes Waugh

Shane Warne came out fighting in his rebuke of former team mate Mark Waugh. Waugh had claimed that Warney was past his best, but according to Warne, "I think my role in the team has changed a lot. I'm bowling a lot more on days one, two and three. Maybe Mark should look at a few of his game statistics."
Waugh had predicted that Australia would win the series comfortably but stated that Warne was not the man of 5 or 10 years ago.

Warne portrait in Lords Long Room

Australian leg spinner Shane Warne joined a select band of cricketers when he unveiled a portrait of himself at Lord's overnight.

The Fanny Rush oil on linen painting will be hung in the ground's famous Pavilion where it will be only the third portrait of an Australian player to go on display.

Late cricket greats Sir Donald Bradman and Keith Miller are the only other Australians to be given the honour.

Warne shines with the bat again

Shane Warne cracked a brisk 46 from 58 balls to put some respectability to Hampshire's score in their Trent Bridge match against Nottinghamshire. He was the 2nd highest score, after test hopeful Peitersen made a second ball duck. Hampshire were finally bowled out for 277.

Convict Warne returns

Shane Warne has been recruited by Sky TV to promote the upcoming Ashes series. Working alongside Ian Botham, David Gower, Nassar Hussain and David Gower, Warney plays the part of a petty criminal sent ot the penal island of Australia, vowing to return. Who is the real criminal?

Get your own Shane Warne Mask

For all of the die hards out there, found this the other day on BBC site, get your own Warney mask for work, for home, for the Ashes. Go on have some fun...

Warne does his homework on ashes hopefuls

Shane Warne, always willing to learn, has put to good his time with Hampshire as the Aussies prepare to again defend their ashes title. He has done his homework on the would be up and comers and is confident of victory.

Warne enjoying the English summer.

Warne calls for dropping of Bangladesh Test status

Shane Warne has added his voice to the many who are now calling for Bangladesh to have their Test status withdrawn following another mauling.