Australia leg spinner Shane Warne said on Monday he is reconsidering his planned appeal against the 12-month doping ban which has rocked world cricket.
"The appeal situation is something that I have to think about," Warne, who flew home from the World Cup without playing a match, wrote in Melbourne newspaper the Herald Sun.
"Do I want to go through all this again and put my mum, wife, kids and the rest of the family through another couple of weeks of heartache, anticipation and anxiety?
"This is something I am giving a lot of thought to because I have seven days to decide. I have a lot of angry and disappointing thoughts at the moment but I do have to start thinking clearly."
The 33-year-old was banned for 12 months on Saturday under the Australian Cricket Board's anti-doping policy in the biggest doping scandal to hit cricket.
Warne took a fluid-reducing pill last month which contained two banned diuretics.
Diuretics can be used as masking agents for other drugs.
Warne's ban is effective from February 10 2003 although the player named as one of Wisden's five cricketers of the 20th century said on Saturday he planned to lodge a written appeal this week.
However, Australia's leading wicket-taker has been advised he may suffer the fate of other athletes who have appealed and received a stronger penalty. Warne's ban attracted some criticism after he was not given the maximum two-year suspension.
Warne's brother and manager Jason told Australian Broadcasting Corp. Radio on Monday the leg spinner was enthusiastic about making a comeback next year.
"He's focussed at the moment on doing everything he can to make sure he's in the best possible position to pick up where he left off when he comes back to cricket, whether that be in 12 months or less," Jason Warne said.
World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) chairman Dick Pound said last week the ACB needed to be tough on drugs after Australia last year gave Commonwealth Games shooter Phillip Adams a warning for using a banned diuretic.
NO WHITEWASH
Pound said on Monday: "Certainly it's clear that the overwhelming majority of people are relieved that a serious sanction was imposed (on Warne) and it was not a whitewash."
Speaking on Australian Broadcasting Corp. (ABC) Radio, Pound rejected Warne's view that the player was a victim of "anti-doping hysteria".
"I think that's complete and utter nonsense. There's no hysteria at all."
Pound was also sceptical about Warne's chances of winning a lesser ban on appeal. "Appeals are a two-edged sword," the Canadian lawyer said.
The ACB named off break bowler Nathan Hauritz as a replacement for Warne in southern Africa.
The 21-year-old will join the squad in Potchefstroom South Africa on Tuesday after the side return from their match against Zimbabwe in Bulawayo on Monday.
More from rediff