SYDNEY, Dec 22: Australian betting agency Centrebet on Friday said it was predicting master leg-spinner Shane Warne would end his career with a total of 709 Test wickets. Warne, who announced earlier this week he would retire from international cricket after the final two Tests of the Ashes series, needs only one more wicket to become the first bowler to take 700 Test scalps.

Centrebet believes the most likely victim for the 700th wicket is England's top-order batsman Ian Bell, who is at odds of 6-1 for this dubious place in history.

Captain Andrew Flintoff and Paul Collingwood are at 13-2 while Kevin Pietersen is at 7-1.

The agency believes bowler Monty Panesar is set to be Warne's final wicket, placing him at 3-1 for this distinction.

Centrebet is listing odds of 33-1 that Warne does not take a wicket at either Test in Melbourne or Sydney.

“Warney's never gone wicketless in two straight Tests so he's long odds not to reach 700 and I reckon he's got another 10 wickets left in him before he retires,” Centrebet's Neil Evans said. —AFP