By John May BBC Sport

Warne says he will play on for five more years when his ban ends

Australian spinner Shane Warne, who is serving a year's ban for drugs use, is convinced his time on the sidelines will prolong his career.

The 33-year-old, banned for using a prohibited diuretic, feels he has another five years' cricket in him.

Warne given 12-month ban

The leg-spin legend looked fit and relaxed as he made a brief return to Hampshire, the county he would have been skippering this summer had he not been banned.

"I'm enjoying this break and it will probably help me play for longer," Warne told this website.

"I'm the fittest I've ever been in my life.

"All the little niggles and shoulder problems have had 12 months to settle down.

"I'm getting as strong as I can which will probably add another year on to the end of my playing career.

"I think I've still got another five good years of cricket left in me, whether that's two or three years of international cricket, and another two years of first-class cricket I don't know."

I see this ban as no more than a hiccup Australian spinner Shane Warne

Warne admitted his drugs ban initially hit him hard and though he has now come to terms with his temporary absence from cricket, there is still a hole in his life.

"At the moment, I miss playing for Australia and representing my country," he said.

"But I know the time will come when hopefully I will be back out there. I see this as a hiccup, no more than a hiccup," added Warne who, despite his ban, has been awarded with a contract by the Australian Cricket Board.

Warne handed ACB contract

"I'm relaxed, I'm happy, I'm looking forward to February coming round, (when the ban ends) but at the moment I'm enjoying myself.

"I was scheduled to play in a charity match while I was over here but I wasn't allowed to.

"So I ended up bowling at a couple of kids in the nets, which was the first time I turned my arm over since the start of my ban."

TV commentary role

While he is making the most of his enforced leisure time, Warne issued a warning to the world's best batsman insisting that the hunger to take wickets still burns.

"Playing for Australia you don't need any motivation. That's motivation enough," he said.

Warne's next engagement will be as a TV commentator for the Australia series against Bangladesh.