Shane Warne’s career seems far from over after being enticed out of retirement with a package that will see him become the face of Fox Sports’ Big Bash League (BBL) coverage. Warne’s new business venture, Club 23 bar at Melbourne’s Crown Casino will be promoted and Cricket Australia will pay $50,000 in return for Warne spruiking the league around the country.


The Twenty-20 competition has been revamped and will start this summer with eight city-based teams competing and is expected to bring cricket fever back to Australia - who wouldn’t want to see the best bowler in the world in action?


The Melbourne Stars will unveil Warne as their star player next week – his team will include captain Cameron White, David Hussey, Peter Siddle, James Pattinson and John Hastings. Their first match is on December 17 when the Stars take on Sydney Thunder, the inaugural Stars-Renegades derby is on January 7 at the MCG and the final of the eight-team competition is on January 28.


Earlier yesterday, Warne's manager, James Erskine said ''He has a non-exclusive arrangement with Channel Nine. It's not a contract, it's a handshake deal, so he decides what he wants to do, and if he was going to play full-time it would probably mean taking a year off commentary in Australia,'' Erskine said.


''He went out on the ultimate high in Australia, taking 700 wickets, winning the Ashes. He's as fit as he's ever been and he believes he is still one of the top spin bowlers in the world but he is 42 and realises if he plays there is a certain amount of hype and media attention that comes with that,'' he said. ''One of the advantages would be that his kids are now old enough to watch him play … ''