Sidelines

Shane Warne almost saw $200,000 Australian dollars go up in smoke. Nicorette had agreed a deal with the Australian cricketer to use their product and try and kick his habit for a specified length of time.

Despite being caught smoking three days before the bet was due to end, the company has agreed to pay up on the agreement. Australia's spin king, previously a 40-a-day man, told reporters he had won his battle to kick the habit and banked the cash, but pictures published last Thursday show him puffing away in a Barbados bar days before the stunt concluded.

Warne claimed the cigarette on April 25th was "a mere blip" in an otherwise smoke-free four-month deal with Nicorette chewing gum manufacturer Upjohn and Pharmacia to pack it in. "It had been quite a stressful 10-week period and unfortunately I had a night out with the lads, it was quite late at night and I gave into the temptation once."

He said he had phoned Nicorette to confess immediately. The company, who are said to have reaped $2.0 million in free publicity in terms of newspaper space and television and radio air-time from the stunt, said they forgave the allegedly reformed smoker.