Cricket: Australians keep faith with Warne

SHANE WARNE has retained the Australian Test vice-captaincy for October's tour of Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe despite having been dropped for the final Test of the West Indies tour.

The Australian selectors had experimented with playing Warne alongside his fellow leg-spinner Stuart MacGill in the West Indies but eventually left out Warne after a run of disappointing results. There had been speculation that Ian Healy would be given the vice-captaincy because as tour vice- captain, Warne is also a selector.

This led to an awkward situation in the West Indies when Warne forced the captain, Steve Waugh, and the coach, Geoff Marsh, to overrule him when choosing the team for the deciding fourth Test, won by Australia to square the series 2-2.

However, Warne's excellent form has resulted in his selection as vice- captain for both the Test and one-day squads. The former Test opener Matthew Hayden returns to the Test squad, so will have to interrupt his Northamptonshire career.

The Somerset fast bowler Andre van Troost has been forced to quit professional cricket at the age of 26 because of a serious lower back injury.