Shane Warne has written off any chance of playing in Australia's first three Tests against the West Indies this summer.

Warne broke the top joint of his right ring finger yesterday, while taking a catch to dismiss Mark Waugh in the Pura Cup game for Victoria against New South Wales at Punt Road, Melbourne.

Warne told reporters this morning that he expects to have surgery on the broken knuckle in the next few days. He is likely to be out of action for six to eight weeks, which means he will miss the first three Tests in the Sir Frank Worrell Trophy series, at Brisbane (Nov 23-27), Perth (Dec 1-5) and Adelaide (Dec 15-19).

Australia's leading Test wicket-taker of all time, Warne said he was setting his sights on a return for the Fourth Test beginning at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Boxing Day, December 26.

© CricInfo Ltd 2000