Warne not an automatic selection for Victoria: Hookes

David Hookes, coach of the Victorian team, has said that Shane Warne will not automatically walk into the state side after serving his 12-month ban for drug abuse. Warne's sentence expires of February 10 next year, but Hookes made it clear that Warne would have to prove that he was match-fit again.

"I would hope that Warney feels comfortable enough with the workload that he's done that he would be ready to play a first-class game of cricket, which is a big step," Hookes said. "No matter how great you are, it's a big step to have not played a first-class game of cricket for 12 months and step in as distinct from playing a game for St Kilda.

"He just needs to be honest and say to us 'I'm ready to play'. If we are looking to play him, which of course we'd like to play him, we'll have to have - for his own sake - a lot of centre wicket practices for him, not just nets. Get him out in the middle bowling. Fitness won't be an issue and health won't be an issue, it's just a case of how many cricket balls he's bowled."

Warne will be eligible to play in Victoria's one-day match against Tasmania on February 14, unless national duties call him even earlier: the Australian squad is scheduled to leave for Sri Lanka on February 13 for a Test and ODI series.