SYDNEY, Oct 16: Cricket doyen Richie Benaud has urged Australian fans to keep the faith with the country’s band of emerging leg-spinners struggling to make their mark in the post-Warne era.

Australian sports fans are coming to grips with life without 708-Test wicket great Shane Warne, who retired from international cricket almost two years ago.

Benaud, 78, one of Australia’s greatest leg-spin bowlers with 248 wickets in 63 Tests before retiring to become a television cricket commentator, says it is vital for slow bowlers to be given sufficient time to master their craft.

Cameron White is the latest leg-spinner Australia is trying at Test level in the current series in India.

Benaud rates the 25-year-old Victorian highly and thinks he will only develop further if afforded continuing Test match experience.

White took 1-88 from 31 overs while making his Test debut in the drawn series-opener in Bangalore after being a late call-up to the Indian tour.

“I think White’s a good cricketer. I’m very keen on him doing well and people expect young cricketers suddenly to be stars overnight,” Benaud said on Thursday.

Benaud said he needed years to mature as a top-line bowler.

He says the search to unearth the next Shane Warne could be a lengthy one.

“Warne’s been the best leg-spinner that I’ve ever seen,” Benaud said. “There’s not an obsession there, but everyone would like someone to come up as Warne did virtually from nowhere.”—AFP