Warne probes German connection

Ex-Australian spin great, Shane Warne, is considering applying for a German passport in a bid to help county side Hampshire gain another overseas player.

The Hampshire captain who will lead Hampshire in the Friends Provident Trophy final against Durham at Lord’s today is said to be investigating whether he is eligible to apply for the passport as his mother was born there, before moving to Australia as a child.

If successful, the move will allow him to play as a non-overseas player and enable Hampshire to recruit another overseas player to bolster the club’s ranks.

“My Mum was German. She came over to Australia when she was, I think, four or five. With only one overseas (player) next year, it’s something we’re looking at,” he told the BBC.

Warne currently holds the record for most wickets in Test match cricket with 708, a feat soon to be overtaken by rival Muttiah Muralitharan.