Jake
20th August 2007, 08:22 AM
Have no URL for this but have read . . .
Cricket hero Shane Warne's plan to consider
becoming a German citizen
has puzzled and amused
many of his fans and former teammates.
The champion leg spinner,
who captains English county side Hampshire,
is contemplating the bizarre move
in a bid to get around rules limiting
the number of international players in county cricket.
His mother, Brigitte, was born in Germany.
English clubs are allowed to field two overseas players,
but that quota will be halved next season.
European Union passport holders
are considered to be home players.
"It's something we're looking at,"
Warne said yesterday.
"My mum was German.
She came over to Australia when she was,
I think, four or five.
"There's been some amazing
things happening here in England allowing people to play as locals,
so it's something we're investigating.
"We'll just have to find out what happens with that."
One British newspaper announced
the cricketer's investigation of the possibility with the headline:
"Warne's Herr Replacement".
RSL stalwart Bruce Ruxton was not amused by the possibility.
"Fancy giving up your Australian status
to become a German,"
he said.
"He's definitely got a screw loose.
Maybe he has a German woman?
"I just don't understand it."
Prime Minister John Howard said:
"I would be amazed if Shane ended up doing that,
amazed.
And so would a lot of Australians.
What people do with their citizenship in the end is their business,
but I think, along with most other Australians,
I'd be amazed."
Guenter Schwamm,
secretary of the Bruecke,
the national body for German-Australians,
said Warne would be welcome as a German citizen.
"We would be thrilled to have him," Mr Schwamm said.
"Our main sport is soccer,
but he is certainly well known in the German community."
"He has had a few problems that have been publicised,
but to me that's laughable."
Former cricket teammate Damien Fleming said the story was bizarre.
"I'd like to know who writes his scripts," Fleming said.
"It's a bizarre story.
But by the sounds of it he only wants to play another year,
so it's a lot of trouble to go to."
Friend and former Victorian wicket keeper Darren Berry
said Warne had not discussed the possible nationality change.
"It's all news to me, mate.
I spoke to him about two weeks ago
and there was no mention of it," Berry said.
Cricket hero Shane Warne's plan to consider
becoming a German citizen
has puzzled and amused
many of his fans and former teammates.
The champion leg spinner,
who captains English county side Hampshire,
is contemplating the bizarre move
in a bid to get around rules limiting
the number of international players in county cricket.
His mother, Brigitte, was born in Germany.
English clubs are allowed to field two overseas players,
but that quota will be halved next season.
European Union passport holders
are considered to be home players.
"It's something we're looking at,"
Warne said yesterday.
"My mum was German.
She came over to Australia when she was,
I think, four or five.
"There's been some amazing
things happening here in England allowing people to play as locals,
so it's something we're investigating.
"We'll just have to find out what happens with that."
One British newspaper announced
the cricketer's investigation of the possibility with the headline:
"Warne's Herr Replacement".
RSL stalwart Bruce Ruxton was not amused by the possibility.
"Fancy giving up your Australian status
to become a German,"
he said.
"He's definitely got a screw loose.
Maybe he has a German woman?
"I just don't understand it."
Prime Minister John Howard said:
"I would be amazed if Shane ended up doing that,
amazed.
And so would a lot of Australians.
What people do with their citizenship in the end is their business,
but I think, along with most other Australians,
I'd be amazed."
Guenter Schwamm,
secretary of the Bruecke,
the national body for German-Australians,
said Warne would be welcome as a German citizen.
"We would be thrilled to have him," Mr Schwamm said.
"Our main sport is soccer,
but he is certainly well known in the German community."
"He has had a few problems that have been publicised,
but to me that's laughable."
Former cricket teammate Damien Fleming said the story was bizarre.
"I'd like to know who writes his scripts," Fleming said.
"It's a bizarre story.
But by the sounds of it he only wants to play another year,
so it's a lot of trouble to go to."
Friend and former Victorian wicket keeper Darren Berry
said Warne had not discussed the possible nationality change.
"It's all news to me, mate.
I spoke to him about two weeks ago
and there was no mention of it," Berry said.