MELBOURNE: Cricket legend Shane Warne said Tuesday he was almost certain to make his comeback in Australia's revamped Twenty20 competition as planned, despite burning his hand badly while cooking.
Sporting a heavily bandaged hand, the former Test champion gave himself a "95 percent chance" of playing in the opening match for the Melbourne Stars in the Big Bash League against the Sydney Thunder in Melbourne on Saturday night.
"It should be fine by Saturday," he told reporters.
Warne's kitchen accident left his bowling hand and fingers with blisters, including "a couple of awkward ones on the spinning fingers".
He brushed off suggestions he could wear bandages or a glove to stop the wounds ripping open during the match.
"Bowling legspin is all about feel so if I put a glove on I'm not sure I can tweak them down there that well," he said.
"I'm hoping I won't need that and I'll be ready to go."
The 42-year-old said while he hoped to take the field, he would not play unless his hand was healed enough for him to bowl properly.
"If I won't be able to bowl then I won't be playing -- that would let the team down," he said.
Warne apparently called an end to his stellar cricket career at the Indian Premier League (IPL) in May but recently confirmed he would play with the Melbourne Stars, saying he had never been fitter.
The cricketer said part of his desire to return for the Big Bash was so his three children could watch him, and agreed it was an "added bonus" that his British fiancee Liz Hurley would be there too.
Warne, who has not played Test cricket since helping Australia to a 5-0 Ashes whitewash over England in January 2007, had led the Rajasthan Royals in the IPL until this year.
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