Warne fined $50,000

NEW DELHI, May 18 (AFP): The Indian cricket board Wednesday slapped a $50,000 fine on soon-to-retire bowling legend Shane Warne over a bust-up between the Australian and an official during this season's IPL. The punishment casts a cloud over Warne's last game of professional cricket Friday when his Rajasthan Royals team take on the Mumbai Indians in the Indian Premier League. The leg-spin maestro, captain of the Rajasthan team, was involved in an angry exchange with Sanjay Dixit, secretary of the Rajasthan state cricket association, following his team's defeat at home last week. Warne was furious about his team being asked to play on a different wicket than one used in previous games, but he later apologised for "any distress" his action may have caused. After a complaint by the Rajasthan cricket association, Warne and Dixit were summoned for a hearing before a disciplinary commission comprising IPL chairman Chirayu Amin and former player Ravi Shastri. "The commission has decided to impose a fine of US$50,000 upon Mr Warne," the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), which runs Indian cricket, said in a statement.