Aussies divided over Warne

2003-08-13 13:02

Sydney - Leading Australian cricket figures were at odds on Wednesday over the damage to the game's image from sexual harassment allegations levelled at Test legspin bowler Shane Warne.

South African woman Helen Cohen Alon has claimed she has been offered R200 000 by an associate of Warne to keep quiet about their relationship in a series of threatening phone calls and text messages.

Cricket Australia chief executive James Sutherland admitted that the negative press generated by "text sex" scandal aimed at the 33-year-old high-profile cricketer was detrimental to cricket.

"The simple answer is yes, it affects the image of the game," Sutherland told the Sydney Morning Herald. "But whether you can measure that in any way is impossible to tell.

"No-one likes bad news stories about someone with such a strong association with the game. These are allegations. Shane, like anybody, is entitled to the benefit of the doubt.

"But it is inevitable that such reports, in some way, have an effect on the game. It's a fact of life that cricketers now have a much higher profile."

But Australian Test captain Steve Waugh was not so sure about the fallout, hurting the game.

"Well, it's not for me to agree or disagree. Some people would say any news is good news for a sport and publicity and the crowds have been pretty good over the last couple of years," Waugh said on Wednesday.

"But I'm not going to buy into whether it's good or bad. It's happened, you know, people have got to deal with it.

'Much more major issues'

"There are much more major issues going on around the world which you would like to see get equal status in the papers but that's not the way of the world these days and it's a big story and we've just got to deal with it the best way we can.

"I don't know the full story, I'm sure you guys (media) don't know it either so you've got to give the guy a fair chance and let him have his say and when he does that, respect what he says and then make a judgement from there.

"But I think a lot of people have made their judgement before they know the facts."

Waugh expressed support for Warne, who has laid low and made no comment other than a statement of denial through his management last weekend.

Waugh claimed "enemies in the media" were having a crack at the embattled Warne, who is serving a 12-month ban from playing cricket for taking a diuretic.

He said he felt for Warne and his family embroiled in another controversy.

'Tough time'

"I am part of the cricket side and we have some loyalty to each other... I feel for Shane and what's happened," said Waugh.

"He's human, he makes mistakes and I think he pays for his pretty heavily. I certainly support Shane and his family."

"It's a tough time, a lot of people are sort of kicking the boot in right now and a lot of his enemies in the media are having a crack at him.

"As a team-mate I feel sorry for him and what's happened, particularly his family."

Waugh, a staunch cricket traditionalist, said the latest controversy was a personal issue for Warne and his family to deal with and he should not be judged until he'd given his side of the story.

Sutherland finally spoke to Warne on Wednesday about the controversy, having tried unsuccessfully to contact him by phone.

However a CA spokesperson said their conversation would remain confidential.

- AFP