(Agencies)
Updated: 2008-01-17 14:55

CANBERRA - Australian test cricket great Shane Warne has been caught out by another text message on the first day of his new career as a poker professional.

Australian bastman Andrew Symonds during a training session in Melbourne. Skipper Ricky Ponting is certain the Australian bowling attack still pack a punch in the post-Shane Warne and Glenn McGrath era and will prove it against India in the Boxing Day Test. [Agencies]

Warne, who retired from test cricket last year with a record 708 wickets, was given a five minute penalty for sending a text message during a poker game while taking part on Wednesday in the Aussie Millions tournament in Melbourne.

Warne's marriage broke down over a series of text messages scandals involving other women.

A spokeswoman for the Crown Casino, where the tournament is taking place, said a penalty could have cost Warne money as other players continued playing.

Texting is a common infraction by gamblers. "It happens all the time. It's just that it was Shane Warne," she said.

Warne has signed with online poker company 888.com to play the World Series of Poker, won by his Australian poker mentor Joe Hachem in 2005.

During his controversial career Warne was suspended for passing tips to an Indian bookmaker and served a ban for testing positive to a prohibited diuretic.

But Warne is also acknowledged as one of the finest leg spin bowlers the world has seen and in 2000 was the only bowler selected as one of the five Wisden Cricketers of the Century.