Cricket: Warne will soon be full of beans

SHANE WARNE has demanding culinary tastes and his hosts on Australia's tour of India have had to admit defeat. The leg- spinner has an aversion to spicy food and an Indian inability to cater to his particular needs took the wind out of his sails as he prepared for the first Test, which starts in Chenai today.

The bowler, who was none too pleased earlier this year when several cracks were made about his corpulence, has lost pounds already on the tour, but his cri de coeur has been answered. An emergency shipment of his two favourites among the 57 varieties has been dispatched by the manufacturers.

Soon the spaghetti or beans on toast he craves will be his for the asking.