February 26, 2008	Tuesday	Safar 18, 1429

ADELAIDE, Feb 25: Shane Warne wants Australia to use this month’s threatened cricket tour of Pakistan to re-build the nation’s ailing spin reserves.

Warne, Australia’s appointed “spin ambassador” following his retirement from international cricket last year, said an overseas tour was an ideal opportunity to build a potent spin combination for the future.

The Australian team has struggled this summer to fill the spin void left by Warne, who finished his playing career with a world record 708 wickets before it was overtaken by Sri Lanka’s Muttiah Muralitharan last December.

Warne spent Monday here with South Australia’s out-of-favour Cricket Australia-contracted spinners, Daniel Cullen and Cullen Bailey.

If Australia’s squad was chosen by Warne he would have all of Australia’s leading spinners, Bryce McGain, Stuart MacGill, Brad Hogg and Cullen, included.

“Maybe for Pakistan they might have three or four in there and all just work together, a few younger guys around the Australian side, but they’ve got to warrant that as well,” Warne told reporters on Monday.

“Hopefully we can have them perform consistently well in first-class cricket, talk to captains, get their fields right, understand how it works and hopefully over coming seasons see spinners performing well.”

But Australia’s tour of Pakistan next month is still in doubt over security concerns.—AFP