Australian cricketer Shane Warne might be worth his weight in gold, but now is his chance to prove his value in food.

The bleached-blond spinner will be aiming for beans and tins of spaghetti, as well as wickets, in this month's Test series with New Zealand.

The food is bound to spur him on, but for once it is not for himself.

Australian food canner SPC Ltd is to give $2,000 (�695) worth of its products to the Salvation Army for each wicket that Warne takes in the three-match series.

"I've always done well against the Kiwis and this is an added incentive for me,'' Warne, who averages more than five wickets per Test, told the Bloomberg news agency.

"Hopefully, I can knock a few of them over.''

Bean fan

Warne is one of the most successful bowlers of all-time, having claimed 407 Test wickets in his career.

He is also no stranger to baked beans, having revealed his fondness for them during Australia's 1998 tour of India, where he was nicknamed 'Mr Bean'.

The canning company intends to stick to its pledge, adding that no maximum limit had been set.

But if Warne fails to perform for Australia when the first Test begins on 8 November, the Salvation Army should fear not.

SPC has guaranteed a minimum of $30,000 (�10,500) or about 15 metric tons of food, for the charity group to distribute to the poor at Christmas.