Spin legend Shane Warne announced his return to cricket on Tuesday, joining Australia's new Big Bash League Twenty20 competition with the Melbourne Stars for at least one season.
The 42-year-old ended his two-decade cricket career at the Indian Premier League in May, but said recently he had never felt fitter and speculation was rife he was in talks with several clubs about a comeback.
"I'm really excited about playing competitively again and delighted to be joining the Melbourne Stars," he told a press conference at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG).
"I'm back in training next week turning my arm over."
Warne, who retired from the Australian Test team in early 2007, said he wanted his three children, now aged 10, 12 and 14, to be able to see him at work and it was an "added bonus" his fiance Liz Hurley would be there too.
He did not rule out possibly extending his contract with the Melbourne side if the 2011-2012 season went well.
"I'm a young 42 at the moment, so I'll see how it goes this year," he said.
"This is something fresh, this is something new and we're all learning straight away. Let's see how it goes this year and we'll take it from there."
Warne's first game in the new competition will be against the Sydney Thunder at the MCG on December 17.
{{/usCountry}}Warne's first game in the new competition will be against the Sydney Thunder at the MCG on December 17.
{{/usCountry}}Several overseas players have signed up with the eight franchises that will contest the BBL tournament, including South Africa's Herschelle Gibbs, Paul Collingwood of England, and Pakistan's Shahid Afridi.