Cricket: Aussie papers lash stupidity

MELBOURNE - Shane Warne's actions were "stunningly stupid" and had to be punished, the Australian media said yesterday.

The Australian newspaper ran a front-page headline: "I'm no drug cheat, says Warne," but a back-page column was headlined: "Inspiring bravehearts overrun by stupid spinner."

It was referring to Zimbabwe cricketers Henry Olonga and Andy Flower, who wore black armbands in protest against President Robert Mugabe's policies, but whose brave stand had been overshadowed by Warne's drug scandal.

Warne, 33, should have flipped through a drugs handbook to check if his dehydrating tablet was banned, the newspaper said.

Melbourne tabloid the Herald Sun, which employs Warne as a columnist, ran a banner front-page headline: "Warne drug bombshell" and devoted four pages at the front and three more at the back of the newspaper to the story.

Prime Minister John Howard's meeting in the United States with President Bush to discuss a possible war with Iraq was pushed back to page five.

The front-page headline in the Melbourne newspaper The Age said: "I'm devastated: Warne out of cup in drugs shock."

Warne's bowling coach and former test leg-spinner Terry Jenner told The Age: "Professional cricketers are supposed to know what they are taking, but they don't, you know."

- REUTERS

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