Warne eyes a new spin cycle

He's back. Actually, he's probably not but Shane Warne dangled the tempting possibility before the Australia selectors yesterday that he might return for next summer's Ashes, but only if he doesn't have to attend any team meetings, go to any matches he doesn't fancy or fulfil any other commitments. And they have to beg him as well.

Talk about ego. Warne, to be fair, couches his offer with lots of conditionals. "If Australia really needed me and there was no one else around, and Ricky Ponting thought I could do the job, you would weigh up the options," Warne said. "If Stuey MacGill fell over and broke his leg, and there were no other spinners around, and Ricky came out and said, 'Mate, can you please help us out for this one-off tour? We need you', that is something I would weigh up."

He then went on to say that he retired because he was sick of touring and other commitments. "If you could just turn up and play Test cricket, that would be cool. I would definitely consider that," Warne said. Perhaps that is the future for some of the big names in the IPL; they call the shots. We've already had this week the news that Brendon McCullum tried to get permission to pop back to India in the middle of New Zealand's tour of England should Kolkata reach the semi-finals. Rightly, the request was turned down. Bad enough to turn up late but you can't dance off and earn some extra cash for a few days while your touring buddies are slogging away against a county side.

Obviously Warne's tongue is rammed far inside his cheek because, for all the undeniable success he has had with Rajasthan in the IPL, Warne's international career is well and truly finished. A recall would risk him looking silly and would certainly make the Australia selectors look bad. What does it say for their development programmes if instead of choosing a younger spinner they go back to a 40-year-old former hero?

That said, what would it say for England if Warne was recalled, turned up for the Ashes with next to no practice and no international cricket in the previous two years and still skittled our batsmen?

Comments

[The Pav]

G'day Patrick,

I think Warne makes the point that he loves Test cricket but not the rubbish that goes with it.

Given his success in IPL a Warne return to Tests would give that style a filip.

As to selecting a 40 year old. I suggest that you have a look at the stats for some previous leggies that have played for Australia.

40 years is nothing for a spinner unlike batsman. I seem to recall a certain MC Cowdry going out bat at the WACA to face the famous Australian bowler "Lilleeanthompson"

I was a mere lad at the time but I seem to recall he got a pair 40's.and marvelled at his courage and technique

I think the saying at the time was "Ashes to ashes, dust to dust if Lillee dont get you Thommo must"

He also delivered a mind blowing sledge to Thommo by politely introducing himself

Yet another sign of Albion's perfidy. Confusing a damn colonial with respect & manners. Fortunately Thommo was tough enough to ignore this tactic and quite properly tried kill him. That was in the days when the WACA had bounce & pace.
Where's Douglas Jardine when you need him? Now that's an Englishman to hate not dear old Colin

Well there's my jaunt down memory lane for the month

[Johnmc]

At current rate he is more likely to appear again for Australia before Andrew Flintoff returns for England

[Rusty]

Now, now, Patrick, jealousy is a curse. He may have an ego, but at least he can back it up. Unlike your own local cricket egos.

Wouldn't you lot sweat if he did return!

[Yorkshire Fan]

"what would it say for England if Warne was recalled, turned up for the Ashes with next to no practice and no international cricket in the previous two years and still skittled our batsmen?"

Normal service has been resumed?

[Oscar the Grouch]

Patrick, using the word 'ego' in a blog about Warnie is redundant, but you have to admit the old bastard (it's an aussie term of endearment, for those who aren't culturally attuned to the Antipodean plate toeies)has been turning it on pretty damn well in the IPL. Methinks, however, it's a reperchage on his old nemesis Buchanan - Warnie's distaste for Buchanan's coaching regime is well known.

Still, he does have a muted point - Australia just doesn't have another Warne in its back pocket. Warnie and Murali have had the world in thrall for so many years, and I think it may be fair to say that Warnie was the one who could, when the chips were down, extract something from an absolute nothing pitch like no other.

Facing Warnie in a heated battle must have been for batsmen something akin to an old comment about Niki Lauda by one of his contemporaries: 'he's the worst person in the world to see come up in your mirrors, because he WILL pass you.'

The other interesting thing - unless my eyes deceive me, he's less of the fat git than he used so often to be - git yes, but he almost looks trim.

Ah, the wonders that are being done in India at the moment. Who would have thought it?