Warne gets share of Australia's WC winnings

Shane Warne will receive up to $9,000 in prizemoney from Australia's cricket World Cup victory, despite not playing a single game after testing positive for a banned diuretic.

Shane Warne will receive up to A$15,000 ($9,000) in prizemoney from Australia's cricket World Cup victory, despite not playing a single game after testing positive for a banned diuretic.

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The Australian Cricket Board (ACB) said on Wednesday the team had decided to divide up the A$3.6 million in winnings on a pro-rata basis, according to how long each player had spent at the tournament.

Warne -- one of cricket bible Wisden's five cricketers of the century -- was sent home from South Africa before Australia's first match of the tournament after testing positive for a banned diuretic.

The 33-year-old leg spinner was later banned from cricket for 12 months by the ACB's anti-doping committee after he admitted taking a fluid-reducing pill given to him by his mother to help him slim down.

Warne, man of the match in Australia's 1999 final victory against Pakistan, had been expected to play a major role in the World Cup before retiring from one-dayers to concentrate on test cricket. He had lost around 13 kilogrammes (29 pounds) in the past year as part of a fitness regime.

Warne said he had never taken performance-enhancing drugs and did not condone their use.

"The line was drawn on February 10 when Shane was suspended, so I can't see why he shouldn't be entitled to money he earned before that date. Surely the 12-month suspension is enough," Jason Warne said.

ACB spokesman Peter Young said the prizemoney would be split between 17 players.

The World Cup victory against India on Sunday was not only Australia's second in a row and a record third in total — they won in 1987 and 1999 — but also extended the side's winning streak to a record 17 one-day games.