Shane Warne [Images] could miss the rest of the English season after fracturing a rib while bowling in Hampshire's draw with Lancashire at Old Trafford, his club reported on Friday.

The Australian leg spinner and Hampshire captain suffered the injury on Thursday and a scan on Friday revealed the extent of the damage.

Warne will be out for at least three weeks, a major blow for his county as they chase their first Championship since 1973.

"It is too difficult to put an exact time frame on it but it is a side injury affecting the eleventh rib." Hampshire physio Andrew Nealon was quoted as saying on the England [Images] and Wales Cricket Board website www.ecb.co.uk.

"Shane's played with many injuries over a long career, and if anybody can possibly play through the pain it's him," Nealon added on the BBC..

"The rest of our season is a pretty congested calendar. We have got four games to go and if it is humanly possible then he will be on the field before the end of the season. We will be doing all that we can to help that process."