He may hold legendary status in the cricketing world, but Shane Warne is looking to dominate the world of poker too, his recent sponsorship deal with 888.com sure to see him swap the crease of the cricket pitch for the green baize of the poker table.
Having retired from the International scene, Warne joined Hampshire Cricket Club a couple of years back and announced that winning the Championship would be the highlight of his career. However, Warne's new path towards poker looks to put this commitment in jeopardy as the World Series of Poker takes place at the same time as Hampshire's Twenty20 Cup campaign as well as a number of other league matches.
If you're thinking that Shane Warne is just one of a long line of clueless sportsmen looking to jump onto the poker bandwagon, then think again, as Warne is not only coached by 2005 WSOP champion and fellow Aussie Joe Hachem, but also joined forces with celebrity poker player Zak Goldsmith to host a tournament that raised half a million for charity.
This news has been swinging around the poker grapevine for some time and arrives hot in the footsteps of Boris Becker's assimilation with the PokerStars brand. With the likes of Phil Taylor, Ken Doherty and Tony Cascarino also dipping their toes into the poker pool, who else can we expect to make that jump and take on the likes of Ivey, Brunson and co at the felt?