Shane Warne To Play In Big Bash For Melbourne Stars

Shane Warne To Play In Big Bash For Melbourne Stars

Shane Warne is making a comeback to representative cricket with the Melbourne Stars in the KFC T20 Big Bash League

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Former Australian international leg-spinner Shane Warne is to make a comeback to competitive cricket having signed to play for the Melbourne Stars in the KFC T20 Big Bash League in Australia.

Warne retired from international cricket in 2007 before playing four seasons in the Indian Premier League for the Rajasthan Royals and announcing his retirement from all cricket earlier this year.

The Melbourne Stars are one of eight city-based franchises competing in Australia's revamped Twenty20 competition which gets underway on 16th December.

"I’m really excited about playing competitively again and delighted to be joining the Melbourne Stars," Warne, 42, said.

"I’m back in training next week turning my arm over."

Warne has taken 59 wickets in 58 Twenty20 matches for Rajasthan and Hampshire and having made his debut in international cricket in 1992, made a name for himself by taking the wicket of Mike Gatting with his first ball in England in 1993 - dubbed the ball of the century.

He went on to take 708 Test wickets and was a World Cup winner in 1996. He then led the Rajasthan Royals to the IPL title in 2008 as well as leading Hampshire with distinction during his time with them as an overseas player.

Melbourne's first game in the league is on 17th December when they play the Sydney Thunder at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.

© Cricket World 2011