Shane Warne returns to Australia later today determined to salvage hiscricketing career after he tested positive for a banned substance and was forced to withdraw from the World Cup.
The leg spinner was expected to arrive at 9.30 a.m. (Irish time) in his hometown Melbourne where he will come face to face with newspaper headlines like "Is This The End?" and "Shane's career in turmoil over drug allegations".
Warne has said he mistakenly took a banned diuretic before a one-day international against England in Sydney on January 23rd, but the Australian media criticised the controversial player, saying: "Ignorance and stupidity won't hold water".
The 33-year-old is expected to appear before the Australian Cricket Board's (ACB) Anti-Doping Committee next week to explain why he took the diuretic and argue mitigating circumstances.
"We have to pay attention to due process. We would hope to schedule the hearing sometime next week," ACB spokesman Peter Young today.
If Warne is found guilty of doping, he could face a two-year ban under ACB rules, a penalty that would probably end his career. But the ACB said the penalty could be reduced based on evidence by the anti-doping committee's medical adviser.
Warne shocked the cricketing world on Tuesday when he held a news conference in Johannesburg, only an hour before his team began their World Cup defence, to announce he had tested positive for a banned substance.
The ACB has said the positive test is "preliminary and subject to confirmation", and that if Warne is cleared of doping it will seek his reinstatement to the Australian World Cup squad.