Shane Warne to Miss Fourth Test

Australia's apparently meticulous planning for their successful tour to India showed a flaw last night when it was confirmed that Shane Warne had a broken right thumb and would miss the fourth Test, which was due to start here in the early hours of this morning.

Australia, leading 2-0 in the series, have two other spinners in their party, the off-spinner Nathan Hauritz and the leg-spinning all-rounder Cameron White. But neither has any Test experience and both had been regarded as little more than net bowlers, with Australia basing their attack here on pace.

The team management had argued that if anything happened to Warne they would fly in Stuart MacGill, another experienced leg-spinner with a proven track record. But this did not allow for a last-minute injury to the world's leading wicket-taker as he prepared to bowl on what appears to be a turning track.

Warne was hit while batting in the nets yesterday and shrugged off the blow before being taken to hospital for a precautionary x-ray. The fracture was confirmed by the team's physiotherapist Errol Alcott shortly afterwards.

Warne said last night: "This series has been one of the highlights of my career so I'm really disappointed that I won't be able to finish it off on the right note. It would have been a great thrill to be on hand when we receive the Border-Gavaskar Trophy but I'm satisfied that I helped contribute to our series win."

Australia's captain Ricky Ponting was preparing to return to the side after missing the first three Tests with a broken thumb. As if impatient to make a belated impact he said: "I've told the guys that as far as I'm concerned India don't deserve to win a game in this series with the way they've played. From what I can remember India have won about three hours' cricket in this series."

Some predict that the under-prepared surface will not last four days. If India lose at the Wankhede Stadium, Australia will join the West Indians of 1958-59 and 1983-84 and Tony Greig's England of 1976-77 as the only sides to win three Tests of a series in this country.

Darren Lehmann, who has a torn hamstring, will fly home tomorrow to launch his autobiography, Worth The Wait, and, less happily, take part in next week's court proceedings concerning the death of David Hookes. Lehmann was with Hookes when the former Australia left-hander was attacked in St Kilda, Melbourne, 10 months ago.