Warne to intentionally miss out on WC final
Friday, March 21 2003 18:50 Hrs (IST)

Melbourne: Banned cricketer Shane Warne will intentionally miss Australia's World Cup final against India when he returns to South Africa. Warne's brother and manager Jason said the leg spinner did not want to do anything to distract attention from the Australian team.

"Shane is going back to fulfil some obligations and he wants to take the least away from what the guys are achieving. He will probably go in (to South Africa) as they (Australian team) are going out," Jason said here on Friday.

Jason said Warne would be in South Africa "for about a week" to fulfil commercial commitments "with a couple of companies".

Warne was forced to return home from South Africa before the tournament to mount his defence against a positive drugs test. An Australian Cricket Board anti-doping committee handed Warne a 12-month suspension for taking a banned diuretic, which ends on February 10.

Jason said his brother would attend a wedding after he returned from South Africa and then work out what he wanted to do until the ban ends. Jason plans to have "a whole lot of options" for his brother such as endorsements and radio and television work.

The Australian Cricket Board will decide next month on the terms of Warne's suspension, including whether he can play for English social side Lashings.

Copyright AFP 2001

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