Melbourne, Feb 22: Australian legspinner Shane Warne was suspended today by the Australian Cricket Board for 12 months for testing positive to a banned diuretic. The ban is effective from Feb 10, which was the date he was notified by the Australian Sports Drug Agency of his positive test. The announcement came two hours after Warne was told by ACB officials of the suspension by a three-person anti-doping tribunal.
The 33-year-old Warne announced on February 11 in South Africa that he had tested positive on January 22 to the banned diuretics hydrochlorothiazide and amiloride. He left Australia`s World Cup cricket team the same day to return to Australia.
His defence was that he was given a weight-loss tablet by his mother, Brigitte, and was unaware it contained anything illegal. The sport`s highest profile bowler has rallied from career-threatening injuries and sex and bribery scandals in the past.
Warne, Australia`s leading Test and limited-overs bowler, has seven days to appeal the decision. The maximum ban could have been two years.

The tribunal deliberated overnight after hearing from seven witnesses and submissions from Warne`s lawyers across eight hours of proceedings on yesterday. Warne fell victim to a new fitness regime that had been designed to extend his test career.
He`d lost about 12 kilograms in 18 months, changed his diet and increased his exercise program so he could become only the second bowler to surpass 500 test wickets.
He has 491 wickets and needed 28 to surpass retired West Indies paceman Courtney Walsh as the leading test bowler of all time.
The ban could sideline Warne for at least three Test series. Bureau Report