Warne accuser faces extortion charges

Helen Cohen Alon, the 45-year-old woman at the centre of the latest Shane Warne scandal, is set to be sued on charges of extortion.

Gavin Varejes, an associate of Warne's, has levelled the charges after Cohen Alon claimed she had been bombarded with telephone calls and lewd text messages, including the revelation that Warne "often told her he was lying next to his wife thinking naughty thoughts".

Warne, who is currently serving a 12-month ban for failing a drugs test, has received support from his Test captain, Steve Waugh, who blamed his "enemies in the media" for kicking him when he was down.

"I don't know the full story, I'm sure you guys [media] don't know it either," said Waugh. "You've got to give the guy a fair chance and let him have his say and when he does that, respect what he says and then make a judgment from there. But I think a lot of people have made their judgment before they know the facts."

Waugh added he had sympathy for Warne and his family, after they had become embroiled in another controversy. "I am part of the cricket side and we have some loyalty to each other. He's human, he makes mistakes and I think he pays for his pretty heavily. I certainly support Shane and his family.

"It's a tough time, a lot of people are sort of kicking the boot in right now and a lot of his enemies in the media are having a crack at him. As a team-mate I feel sorry for him and what's happened, particularly his family."