Warne showing has impressed Trevor Hohns

Melbourne, Feb. 14 (Reuters): Shane Warne took a wicket with his second ball on Saturday in his long-awaited comeback to top-level cricket following a 12-month doping ban.

Warne, who trapped Daniel Marsh leg before for five, claimed one for 48 off 10 overs for Victoria in an inter-state one-day match against Tasmania at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG).

Tasmania bowled Victoria out for 218 in 49.2 overs and completed a three-wicket victory with 18 balls to spare. Warne, Test cricket’s second highest wicket-taker, ended his suspension on February 10 and played in a four-day second XI game for Victoria against Queensland earlier this week, picking up match figures of five for 152.

The 34-year-old leg spinner will play in a four-day match for Victoria against Tasmania at the MCG starting on Monday.

The inter-state match will be Warne’s only first-class outing before Australia name their squad on Friday for next month’s Test tour of Sri Lanka.

Australia chairman of selectors Trevor Hohns, who was at the MCG on Saturday, told reporters he was impressed with what he saw of Warne’s bowling.

“He was quite encouraging in the second XI game where he got a few overs under his belt and today...was very encouraging,” Hohns said.

“All we can go on is what’s presented to us and that is this game and the Pura Cup game (starting Monday), so we’ll have to make a judgement on that.”

Victoria’s one-day team captain Cameron White, a fellow leg spinner, said: “He landed them pretty well. There wasn’t too many bad balls out there.

“The field was up most of the time and they took him on and they got away with a few, but I thought he bowled pretty well.”

Warne was banned in February last year after testing positive for a diuretic, which can be used to mask other drugs.