Law changes will not affect Warne's leg-spin

Shane Warne can rest assured his leg-spin trade is under no threat from law changes instituted by the International Cricket Council.

Australia's master wrist-spinner voiced his fears that rule changes just brought in by the ICC may count against him when it comes to being more stringent in Test and first-class cricket against bowlers who bowl wide of leg stump.

Warne's concerns centre on one of his main wicket-taking deliveries – the big leg-break which he pitches outside leg stump when bowling round the wicket. If it does not turn, Warne worries it will be routinely called a wide and that could deter not just him but leg-spinners of the future from maintaining what he sees as a potent line of attack.

However Mark Harrison, an ICC spokesman, is in no doubt the change of stance from cricket's governing body will not punish someone who is trying to get a batsman out but only a bowler intent on a more negative approach.

Harrison explained: "It is not designed to punish the bowler from round the wicket who is trying to turn the ball for a wicket-taking delivery. It is a directive to help the umpire in his decision over whether a ball is delivered as a wide without giving the batsman a fair chance of reaching it."

* An inquiry into allegations of match-fixing during the 1999 World Cup will be launched by the Pakistan Government on 22 September, officials said yesterday. A one-man commission, with Justice Karamat Bhandari of the Lahore High Court, has been appointed to determine whether Pakistan matches against Bangladesh and India in the last World Cup were fixed.