Cricket: Shane Warne's ball sold for $42,700

(AP News) - THE ball which cricketer Shane Warne equalled the world Test wicket record with has sold for $42,700. The ball was auctioned on internet site e-bay and purchased by an unknown bidder using the name Arim44.

Proceeds from the auction will go to the leg-spinner's charity, the Shane Warne Foundation, which was launched last month and helps seriously-ill and underprivileged children.

Warne grabbed a share of the world record earlier this month, when he claimed his 527th Test wicket, against Sri Lanka in Cairns. Warne, who shares the record with Sri Lankan offspinner Muttiah Muralitharan, was elated with the news.

"I can't believe it, it's absolutely fantastic," he told Channel Nine's The Footy Show last night.

"That price – I was very happy when it was $20,000 – I was over the moon, but let alone to get up to over $40,000 is fantastic.

"Hopefully if Murali keeps taking his wickets and I can keep taking a few and just keep nudging ahead of him that would be fantastic, but I might never get that chance again to be the equal world record-holder.

"That might be the one and only time, so the lucky person that bought that ball might have something that will be pretty special over the years."