May 20, 2008	Tuesday	Jamadi-ul-Awwal 14, 1429

MELBOURNE, May 19: Leg-spin legend Shane Warne has not ruled out a dramatic return to international cricket for the next Ashes series if Australia’s problems with trying to fill his spin position continue.

Warne retired from internationals following the final Test against England in Sydney last January, and earlier this year ended his first-class career by withdrawing from his Hampshire deal.

However, he has been one of the outstanding performers in the Indian Premier League with the Rajasthan Royals, who currently top the league table, taking 14 wickets at 18.78.

At the same time Australia are struggling to find a consistent, frontline Test spinner, although Stuart MacGill’s recovery from wrist surgery has been a promising sign.

But Warne said if Ricky Ponting became desperate ahead of next year’s Ashes in England, he would seriously considering coming out of retirement.

“If Australia really needed me and there was no one else around, and Ricky thought I could do the job, you would weigh up the options,” Warne told the Herald Sun.

“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 said.

Warne said he still had the passion to play at the top level, but it was the lifestyle that made him quit after the 2006-07 Ashes whitewash. “If I wanted to keep playing I don’t think there would be an issue with me being the No 1 spinner and performing,” he said.—Agencies