Cricket: 'Chubby' Shane on second warning

By Richard Boock

Controversial legspinner Shane Warne will be on his second warning when Austrialia play New Zealand in Cardiff tomorrow night.

Hot on the heels of a two-week suspension and a fine for his stinging attack on Sri Lankan captain Arjuna Ranatunga, Warne has again been told to calm down by his management - this time for apparently making an obscene gesture at Scottish fans at the weekend.

The 29-year-old was reported to have raised his middle finger at a Scottish fan who had just shouted "you're having a nightmare, chubby," and also seemed to be incensed with a plastic inflatable whale on site, which fans claimed closely resembles the Aussie star.

Although there was no incident report filed by the match-referee Australian team manager Steve Bernard said he might have a "quiet talk" with Warne, but stressed he had not seen the alleged incident.

"There's been no report from the referee, so we won't do anything officially about it," he said.

The highly fancied Australians struggled more than expected during their six-wicket win over newcomers Scotland, despite Warne taking three for 39.

Warne has always hated references to his physique. He once stormed out of a press conference in Australia after it was suggested to him that a wax model made in his honour was a bit too thin to be realistic.

This is the second incident of a player clashing with the crowd in the past week.

England's Adam Hollioake was warned by team officials after two spectators at a warm-up match complained he had made a gesture at them after being barracked.