MELBOURNE, Dec 15 AAP - Shane Warne's dislocated shoulder has put Australia's World Cup plans in a spin, with fears his latest injury could be a career-threatening one.

Warne dislocated his right bowling shoulder when he dived to try to cut off a drive from England's Craig White during Australia's 89-run win at the MCG.

Warne was taken off the ground on a stretcher and will undergo arthroscopy surgery tomorrow to allow specialists to determine the extent of the damage.

Australian physiotherapist Errol Alcott said a best-case scenario would see Warne miss four to six weeks of cricket.

That means he will miss the remainder of the Australian summer but aim to return in time for World Cup starting in February in South Africa.

But Alcott hinted the injury could be career-threatening given Warne has previously undergone shoulder reconstruction.

"It's a good question," Alcott said when asked if the injury could end Warne's brilliant career.

"I think it's one of those situations where we need to wait and see what damage has been done and assess it from there.

"Also we haven't seen a dislocation in a legspinner. In fact, we haven't seen a dislocation in any of the Australian team that I can remember so it is new territory.

"But Shane Warne, in particular, given his pre-history, some of these questions we'll have to wait and see to be answered."

Warne's shoulder was popped back into place by team doctors before he was taken to hospital.

Alcott said while the dislocation was a typical one, Warne's previous surgery could complicate his recovery.

"It's a little bit difficult because we don't know the extent of the damage," he said.

"So best-case it just stretched the capsule and the joint popped forward and it's four to six weeks and you can only add time on if there's something further been injured."

Alcott said it was vital Warne did everything he could to return to full fitness regardless of the World Cup.

"I think it's just a question of Shane Warne's shoulder getting better as soon as possible and with as little chance of re-injury," he said.

"We can't use the World Cup as a milestone for his rehab."

Australian captain Ricky Ponting said Warne's injury - which came when the home side was well on its way to victory - had taken the gloss of the team's win.

"It was just a disappointing and sad thing to happen," he said.

"The way he's trained and put in in the last 12 months and the way he's been bowling, it's sad that something like that happens to someone who's worked so hard."

Ponting said Warne was "squealing" in pain and said the legspinner knew he had suffered a serious injury immediately.

"He knew straight away, he was saying to all of us that he thought it was out and he could feel it was out of joint so he had a pretty good idea straight away," he said.

Warne who'll also miss the remaining two Ashes Tests, missed much of the 1998-99 season after needing a reconstruction of the shoulder.

He also was out of action for several months during the 2000-01 season when he broke the spinning finger in his right hand in a fielding accident.

England captain Nasser Hussain, who was bowled by Warne for 19 today, said the injury was a blow to world cricket.

"Let's hope it's not serious because he got himself really fit, he had a shoulder problem a few years ago which he's just now coming back from and bowling exactly how Shane Warne wants to bowl," Hussain said.

"There must have been a lot of hard work and effort put in to be where he is now and let's hope it's not too serious because world cricket needs Warnie bowling the way he has done in the last few months."

"Let's hope he's out for a couple of weeks and then is back to his best."

© 2002 AAP

This report does not necessarily represent the views of the Australian Cricket Board.