Thursday January 17, 2:31 PM
It's not cricket! Warne penalised over poker text
CANBERRA (Reuters) - Australian test cricket great Shane
Warne has been caught out by another text message on the first
day of his new career as a poker professional.
Warne, who retired from test cricket last year with a
record 708 wickets, was given a five minute penalty for sending
a text message during a poker game while taking part on
Wednesday in the Aussie Millions tournament in Melbourne.
Warne's marriage broke down over a series of text messages
scandals involving other women.
A spokeswoman for the Crown Casino, where the tournament is
taking place, said a penalty could have cost Warne money as
other players continued playing.
Texting is a common infraction by gamblers. "It happens all
the time. It's just that it was Shane Warne," she said.
Warne has signed with online poker company 888.com to play
the World Series of Poker, won by his Australian poker mentor
Joe Hachem in 2005.
During his controversial career Warne was suspended for
passing tips to an Indian bookmaker and served a ban for
testing positive to a prohibited diuretic.
But Warne is also acknowledged as one of the finest leg
spin bowlers the world has seen and in 2000 was the only bowler
selected as one of the five Wisden Cricketers of the Century.
(Reporting by Rob Taylor; Editing by Alex Richardson)
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