Warne's World Cup hopes in doubt

MELBOURNE, Dec 15 AAP - Shane Warne's World Cup hopes were in serious doubt tonight after the champion legspinner was stretchered from the MCG with a shoulder injury.

Warne gripped his bowling shoulder in agony after diving to field a ball off his own bowling in the 28th over of England's innings during Australia's inevitable march to a second straight win in the one-day international series.

Play was held up for several minutes before Warne, cutting a sorry figure, was carried from the field.

The leg-spinner has a history of shoulder injuries and his injury put a big downer on Australia's dominant display with the World Cup in South Africa due to start in six weeks ago.

Warne needed a reconstruction on the shoulder in 1998, ruling him out of the first four Tests of the 1998-99 home Ashes series.

He also missed much of the 2000-01 Australian summer when he broke his spinning finger in a fielding accident.

The 33-year-old is Test cricket's second-highest wicket taker with 491 scalps.

He rejuvenated his international career this year with a strict fitness regime that resulted in a much trimmer, more muscular frame.