Shane Warne

For years he has tormented batsman at the crease with a bewildering array of leggies, googlies, flippers, sliders, zooters and of course the occasional barbed comment, but now Shane Warne, one of the greatest cricketers ever has moved towards a new life as a poker professional with a 2-year deal with 888.com.

So, if you fancy clashing with the legend online he will be playing for three hours a go on 888.com every last Sunday of the month. Or as he put it the other night, "I love the game so much it won’t be just the three hours – unless my cards are cold and I’m getting crushed.’

Part of the deal is his appearance in a series of poker events around the globe representing 888.com. The first was in January – the Aussie Millions – where Warnie finished in a credible 130ish out of 780 starters. "I got through the first day alright and my mate Dimi Mascherenas just missed getting knocked out with about 30 minutes to go till the end of play; but after that I got no cards and just had to sit and be disciplined, waiting for a moment to move."

During which he was penalised for sending a text message.

"I’ve learned a lot playing home games with Joe Hachem in Melbourne. We have a group, Joe, his brother Tony and a few of the AFL players and Joe talks us through moves, methods and the game."

"It has made me a much better player in the last year. Also playing these live events will help a lot. I study the players a lot now and during the Aussie Millions I was so tired at the end of sessions just from concentrating on every hand – even if I wasn’t in it."

It is these skills that Warne wants to develop further during the year.

"I think I’m in a tournament in Monte Carlo, I’ve got one soon in New Zealand, then I think it is the UK Open in October or November and I am meant to be the Aussie skipper in the 888 Poker Nations Cup."

There will be a lot more of Warnie round the poker world now.