Cricket: Warne breaks hand

Shane Warne is out of cricket for a month after breaking his hand.

The 34-year-old will miss Australia's home series against Sri Lanka next month after being struck on the hand by a Darren Gough delivery while batting for Hampshire in their English county championship 114-run win over Essex in Chelmsford yesterday.

The blow also stalls Warne's hopes of over-taking Sri Lankan rival Muttiah Muralitharan as the world record wicket-taker.

Warne has 517 test wickets, two behind retired West Indies paceman Courtney Walsh but 10 behind Muralitharan, who took over at the top by reaching 527 wickets during his country's recent whitewash against Zimbabwe.