Pipedream
Warne may not be back by end of year
Posted: Tuesday December 15, 1998 09:10 PM
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Warne was sidelined after undergoing shoulder surgery Allsport UKAllsport |
MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) -- Shane Warne's dream of returning to the Australian cricket side for the December 26 test in Melbourne is beginning to fade with the leg spinner admitting that goal may have been unrealistic.
Warne has managed just six wickets at the unflattering average of 62.83 in his three domestic shield appearances since returning from shoulder surgery, one of those coming in his most recent outing against Queensland which ended in a draw on Monday.
While failing to take wickets, Warne has also not been his usual economical self, conceding more than five runs an over in his second game against South Australia while his seven second-innings overs against Queensland went for 39 runs.
Warne was disappointed with the Queensland effort and admits his dream of a December 26 return is beginning to fade.
"It is getting a bit tight for Boxing Day," he said. "I've only got one game between now and then and I guess we'll have to wait and see how I go in that next game."
That match is at the spin-friendly Sydney Cricket Ground against a test-strength New South Wales side, starting Saturday.
Australia has already retained the Ashes without the man who is one of only two Australians to take 300 test wickets. The West Indies tour in late February is now looking like a more realistic goal for Warne.
Both his replacements, leg spinning understudy Stuart MacGill and veteran Colin Miller, have been major contributors to the home side's unbeatable 2-0 lead after just three tests against England.
Copyright 2003 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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