Warne back on ice for Windies series (26 Sep 1996)

26 Sep 1996

Bypasses Indian tour: Warne back on ice for Windies series

Daily News

SYDNEY, Thursday- Mercurial Australian legspinner Shane Warne shifted his focus to mastering the West Indian batsmen in this summer's five-Test home series after withdrawing from next month's Indian tour.

But Warne sent shivers through Australian cricket followers when he admitted to doubts that injury to his spinning finger may continue to linger into the eagerly-awaited series, which starts in Brisbane in late November.

Warne said Wednesday he had "a few little doubts" that the finger would be fully recovered by the first Test against the Windies. "But I have been doing all the work, I'm going to physio," he said.

"I'm doing strengthening exercises, I'm doing everything possibly I can, I'm giving myself every chance. When the Australian summer comes, I know I will be right."

While Warne was replaced by South Australian legspinner Peter McIntyre, the Australians were boosted by the return of captain Mark Taylor.

Taylor and Warne missed the recent one day series in Sri Lanka with the skipper staying home to have back surgery a month ago to ease long-term pain.

Taylor has declared himself recovered from the surgery and impressed team physio Errol Alcott in a fitness session here this morning.

Warne told reporters in Darwin his spinning finger continued to be stiff and sore, affecting both his ability to bowl, and his confidence.

The legspinner spoke to Australian selectors after bowling in three one-day practice matches with the Victorian team in Darwin this week.

"Unfortunately my finger isn't quite right, so the general consensus was to stay in Melbourne and to get fit, get the finger 100 percent right and be available for the Australian summer," Warne said.

Warne would have been playing a Test against India for the first time since his Australian debut in Sydney in the 1991-92 series.

"It would have been very nice to get the opportunity (again) with five years under my belt," he said.

But full recovery after off-season surgery on the finger was the "No. 1 priority".

"It's a tough one. Obviously I want to be with the boys 'cause I'll miss them and all that sort of thing but it's the best thing for them.

"I don't want to feel like I'm letting them down, I want to be able to give them 100 percent."

McIntyre was told the news while in camp with the South Australian state team. He has played one Test, taking two wickets against England in Adelaide in 1995, and his chances of a second are good.

Source :: Daily News (https://www.lanka.net)