The stakes are high but Warne backs Hampshire

Shane Warne has said that he will be playing for Hampshire in 2008 despite reports that he might not be available during the season because of other commitments.

In his column in The Times Warne said he was contracted to play in 2008r but added that as his career draws to a close, he is looking to move into other areas.

"There's a deal in the pipeline with a poker company that will involve playing in certain events through the year," he wrote. "I can fit what I do around the cricket.

"The World Series takes place in Las Vegas at the same time as the Twenty20 Cup. I definitely want to go to Las Vegas and I have not played Twenty20 for the past few seasons. It has always come at an ideal time to take a break. I am 38 and, after 20 or so years in the game, I need a rest at some point during a six-month campaign."