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Former Australian leg-spinner Shane Warne''s manager has indicated that Warne would make a decision about his participation in the Big Bash on Monday.
The Melbourne Stars and the Melbourne Renegades are two Big Bash teams that are interested in securing Warne’s services.
According to The Age, the Melbourne Stars are hoping their financial offer, combined with the romance of a return to the MCG, will be enough to convince the champion leg-spinner to play.
Meanwhile, Cricket Australia (CA) will kick in a cash marketing bonus to help coax Shane Warne out of retirement for the Big Bash League.
So keen is CA to enlist Warne''s star power for the Big Bash''s inaugural season that it has offered to sweeten his deal with a cash allowance, believed to be less than 50,000 dollars, to market the new Twenty20 league around the country.
This would be in addition to third-party commercial deals and payments from within the million-dollar salary cap.
''''We made that offer to all the teams of an amount of money in exchange for him doing things like making appearances for us. He is an asset, he will excite people across the league not just the team he plays for,'''' CA''s Big Bash project owner Mike McKenna said.
''''Coming out of retirement would make it extra special,'''' McKenna added.
The stakes are high because Warne''s presence would excite sponsors, a task that is proving challenging for the fledgling teams.
Of the eight new sides, none has announced a major sponsor, although the Stars and Renegades have each struck smaller commercial deals.
Officials are hoping the Melbourne derby, at the MCG on January 7, inspires a crowd of more than 50,000, and clearly, Warne would be a compelling draw card.
Warne is in Melbourne with his fiancee, British actress Liz Hurley, whose presence in the stands would doubtless also excite CA''s marketing people.
The Sydney Sixers were also interested in Warne, but he has indicated he would be willing to play a handful of games for one of the Melbourne sides if the price is right and his other commitments, including Channel Nine commentary, allow.
The Melbourne Stars and the Melbourne Renegades are two Big Bash teams that are interested in securing Warne’s services.
According to The Age, the Melbourne Stars are hoping their financial offer, combined with the romance of a return to the MCG, will be enough to convince the champion leg-spinner to play.
Meanwhile, Cricket Australia (CA) will kick in a cash marketing bonus to help coax Shane Warne out of retirement for the Big Bash League.
So keen is CA to enlist Warne''s star power for the Big Bash''s inaugural season that it has offered to sweeten his deal with a cash allowance, believed to be less than 50,000 dollars, to market the new Twenty20 league around the country.
This would be in addition to third-party commercial deals and payments from within the million-dollar salary cap.
''''We made that offer to all the teams of an amount of money in exchange for him doing things like making appearances for us. He is an asset, he will excite people across the league not just the team he plays for,'''' CA''s Big Bash project owner Mike McKenna said.
''''Coming out of retirement would make it extra special,'''' McKenna added.
The stakes are high because Warne''s presence would excite sponsors, a task that is proving challenging for the fledgling teams.
Of the eight new sides, none has announced a major sponsor, although the Stars and Renegades have each struck smaller commercial deals.
Officials are hoping the Melbourne derby, at the MCG on January 7, inspires a crowd of more than 50,000, and clearly, Warne would be a compelling draw card.
Warne is in Melbourne with his fiancee, British actress Liz Hurley, whose presence in the stands would doubtless also excite CA''s marketing people.
The Sydney Sixers were also interested in Warne, but he has indicated he would be willing to play a handful of games for one of the Melbourne sides if the price is right and his other commitments, including Channel Nine commentary, allow.
