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by Kuldip Lal , JOHANNESBURG, Tuesday (AFP) - Australia's star leg-spinner Shane Warne said on Tuesday he wanted to return to the World Cup after a failed drugs test back home forced him to pull out of the event in South Africa.

"I was shocked and absolutely devastated to hear the news," the 33-year-old told a news conference an hour before Australia were to open the defence of their title against Pakistan at the Wanderers here. Warne, regarded the game's greatest leg-spinner, tested positive for a diuretic used to aid weight-loss following a test by the Australian Sports Drugs Agency (ADSA) before the team flew to South Africa earlier this month. The first sample was taken in Sydney but the B-sample will be tested on his return to Melbourne on Wednesday.

The shock revelation was the latest bodyblow to the World Cup following England's threatened boycott of their scheduled match in Zimbabwe and a long-running wrangle over player contracts. Warne, who leaves for home later Tuesday, is adamant he is determined to clear his name. "I'm shocked because I do not take performance-enhancing drugs and never have, and do not condone them in any way, shape or form," said Warne.

Australian Cricket Board (ACB) chief executive James Sutherland told the same news conference that they had asked the World Cup technical committee for permission to replace Warne. But if the second test proves negative, Sutherland said Warne could still return to the World Cup. Warne said he had been told on Monday afternoon by the ADSA of the positive result on the sample collected on January 22 and immediately decided to pull out of the tournament.

"It indicated the presence of a prohibited substance. The testing procedures are not complete until my B sample is fully examined later this week in Australia," Warne said.

"I'm proud to be in the shape I'm in at the moment which is due to nothing other than hard work and looking after myself with diet.

"I did take a fluid tablet before my comeback game in Sydney (on January 23) which I did not know contained a prohibited substance. "The tablet actually dehydrates you and gets rid of any excess fluid in your body and, as I understand it, is not performance-enhancing in any way. "But I've decided to return home in the best interests of the team in their World Cup campiaign and to address the situation personally, which the ACB are very supportive of.

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