Kaneria wants to be best

Published January 5, 2005

SYDNEY, Jan 4: Pakistani Danish Kaneria has Shane Warne in his sights in his quest to become cricket's greatest leg-spinner. Kaneria has been one of the few successes for the bedevilled Pakistanis in their tour of Australia and on Tuesday stuck to his guns with 7-188 off 49.3 overs.

Kaneria said he was setting his sights high from now on and he's aiming to finish his playing days with more Test scalps than 35-year-old Warne, who has a world record of 562 and counting.

"I'm still learning and have gained confidence in myself," Kaneria said after Tuesday's play. "I will do my very best to become much better than him. I just want to make my name as the world's greatest leg spinner. That's my aim. God has brought me from where I was to where I am and God will take me there."

Kaneria has taken 14 wickets in the series for 101 wickets in his 23rd Test. Australian vice captain Adam Gilchrist had special praise for the 24-year-old Karachi wrist-spinner, saying he has had an outstanding series.

The ebullient Pakistani apologised for swearing at young Australian batsman Michael Clarke during Monday's second day's play and revealed they were involved in a war of words. He is playing for free after being fined his entire match fee for using obscene language following his dismissal of Clarke. -AFP

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