The world's most successful leg spinner had an operation on his shoulder in May after Australia's tour of India and said this week that it was possible he might not return to the game.

``There's a slim chance of that,'' Warne said. ``It's a bit daunting to think that you may never play again. The thing is, no other leg spinner has had the operation. It puts some people out for 18 months and some never return.''

Warne, 28, said he hoped to be back by the end of the year with his Victorian state side but acknowledged that was unlikely. He has taken 313 wickets in 67 Test matches, but has been worn out by bowling more than twice as many overs as most of the rest of the Australian attack.

Graham Thorpe is also to have surgery, which will rule him out of action for another two months. The Surrey and England batsman, who has not played since getting a pair during the third Test at Old Trafford, will undergo a minor spinal operation on Friday to remove a small cyst on his facet joint in the lower back.

Worcestershire fast bowler Maneer Mirza, who broke into championship cricket by taking 16 wickets in five matches last year, has been ruled out for the rest of the season with a stress fracture in his back.