Warne makes encouraging comeback - Sports News - Fanatics - the world's biggest events

Warne makes encouraging comeback

By Roger Vaughan 11/01/2003 05:36:06 AM Comments (0)

Shane Warne's immediate destiny should rest in his hands rather than his much-discussed shoulder after an encouraging cricket comeback.

Warne showed no discomfort from bowling eight overs and landing heavily on his right arm at the MCG, just 26 days after dislocating his right bowling shoulder in a fielding accident at the same ground.

Provided Warne does not pull up too sore, his performance takes the heat out of his return to the national team ahead of next month's World Cup.

But West Australian captain Justin Langer and his teammates took the gloss off Warne's day, beating Victoria by 24 runs in their day-nighter.

National chairman of selectors Trevor Hohns visited Warne in the Victorian dressing rooms at the innings interval.

Warne was expensive at 1-53, with his second over costing 26 thanks to three sixes and a four from Test teammate Langer, but that did not bother Hohns.

"He's come up as good as gold ... he's come through bowling fine, he doesn't feel anything," Hohns said.

"Tomorrow might be another day, but right now he's fine."

Warne will meet with Hohns and other Australian team officials in the next couple of days to work out where the comeback goes from here.

Warne said he was "rapt" with how his shoulder felt after the match.

"The shoulder has pulled up fine - I wasn't expected to dive as far as I was going to at first slip (to catch Campbell), that wasn't part of the plan.

"It just shows my shoulder is pretty good.

"From a personal point of view, I'm rapt basically to get through my overs and get through my first game, get over the nerves."

Warne admitted those nerves were a problem in his first two overs, but they went once he became angry with his poor start.

"Obviously, the first couple of overs I was a bit nervous, I knew they were going to go after me to start with," he said.

"After the first couple of overs, I think I had 35 (runs) off two, I thought 'what am I going to do now?'

"I just had to dig deep and come back - my last six overs, I think I got 1-18.

"So it was pretty good, the last six, once I got a bit grumpy and got the 'S' word.

"Once I got that and got a bit fired up I was alright."

Hohns is in no hurry for Warne for return for Wednesday's international one-dayer against Sri Lanka in Brisbane.

"That might be a little bit too soon - there's no need to rush back, the main thing is that he's fit and bowling well for the World Cup," he said.

"Now he's fit and can bowl, it's probably more a confidence thing and getting back into the routine of bowling."

Langer top-scored with 105 in WA's 8-261 and the Warriors held off a late challenge from the home side, bowling it out for 237 in 46.3 overs.

Warne was run out for a duck.

Brad Hodge top-scored with 43, while Cameron White made 42 after injuring his knee at the start of the WA innings.

Callum Thorp took 3-42 and Jo Angel broke up a threatening sixth-wicket stand between Hodge and Jon Moss (23) on the way to 3-39.

A crowd of about 5,000 caught MCG officials off-guard after Warne announced on Thursday he would make a surprise comeback in this match.

That led to the rare sight of fans queuing to enter a domestic one-dayer.

Warne initially seemed to struggle with the strong wind that blew through the gap in the stands left by the ground redevelopment, but settled into his rhythm after bringing himself on in the 20th over.

He also tested the shoulder in the second over of the match when he took a diving catch to dismiss opener Ryan Campbell and landed heavily on his right arm.

Murray Goodwin made 52 in WA's innings.

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