SYDNEY, 8 August 2003 — The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) wants the Australian government to fully apply its anti-drugs rules to ensure that banned cricketer Shane Warne’s 12-month suspension is properly enforced.

WADA’s move follows reported comments from Australian selector Allan Border on Tuesday that the high-profile legspin bowler would have the opportunity to train with the national squad as a guest during his ban.

Australia’s leading Test wicket-taker tested positive for a banned diuretic last February and was suspended from cricket for a year.

Warne’s suspension ends on Feb. 10, just ahead of Australia’s scheduled Test series with Sri Lanka.

WADA’s chief executive David Howman and president Dick Pound were surprised to learn that the disgraced leg spinner was preparing to train with the Australian team in the lead-up to this summer’s season, even though he was a banned athlete.

“It is bizarre,” Howman told the Sydney Morning Herald yesterday. “It is not a ban if he is training or playing — a ban means not participating in any form. I find this ruling particularly bizarre because it is out of character with Australia’s strong anti-doping stance.”

Warne was given permission to play in charity matches and train with the team after the players’ union, the Australian Cricketers’ Association, sought clarification from the Cricket Australia ruling body over the exact nature of the ban.

An arbitrator ruled that the legal association between the players and Cricket Australia meant Warne was only banned from official matches.

“I don’t understand what the ACA is doing,” Pound told the Herald. “It is doing everything in its power to allow a cheater to play. It is absolutely anti-ethical and against the spirit of the game.

“It used to be that the game of cricket was all about ethics, cricket was so honest it produced the line ‘that is not cricket’ but now we have this situation where it is cricket.”

Howman said he was perplexed the other players were supportive of an athlete who had tested positive to drugs.

Kallis Quickly Back Into the Groove

In Canterbury, England, South Africa’s Jacques Kallis dispelled any doubts about both his form and focus as he hammered a run-a-ball 77 against Kent yesterday.

The all-rounder, who rejoined the tour on Tuesday following the death of his father, scored 70 of his runs in boundaries — 16 fours and a six — on the first day of the three-day match as South Africa declared on 325 for four after 70.3 overs.

Kallis had been in impressive form with the bat before returning home, averaging 109.66 and scoring back-to-back centuries in a one-day triangular tournament against England and Zimbabwe.

He missed the first two Tests, both dominated by South Africa as they took a 1-0 lead in the five-match series, but is set to be recalled for the third at Headingley next week.

Neil McKenzie, batting at five, scored 105 not out while Jacques Rudolph made 92.