is this right time for shane warn to left cricket?

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Not for the first time in his record-breaking career, stories about Warne are dominating the airwaves Down Under after a report from Channel Nine, where he is likely to start the next stage of his career as a cricket commentator, claimed Warne would call a press conference at the Cricket Australia offices tomorrow to make the announcement. There was further speculation that veteran seamer Glenn McGrath may follow suit and join Warne tomorrow in announcing his retirement at the end of the current Ashes series. Warne poised for international retirement Glenn McGrath could follow Warne into retirement Staff and agencies Wednesday December 20, 2006 Guardian Unlimited Warne would retire at the end of the current series. Photograph: Shane Warne/AP Shane Warne has sent Australia into a frenzy of speculation following reports he is poised to announce his retirement from international cricket tomorrow. Not for the first time in his record-breaking career, stories about Warne are dominating the airwaves Down Under after a report from Channel Nine, where he is likely to start the next stage of his career as a cricket commentator, claimed Warne would call a press conference at the Cricket Australia offices tomorrow to make the announcement. There was further speculation that veteran seamer Glenn McGrath may follow suit and join Warne tomorrow in announcing his retirement at the end of the current Ashes series. Article continues -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Warne is expected to continue playing for Hampshire and Victoria for a few years yet, but in the meantime he could be set for an emotional final two Tests - including one at his beloved MCG on Boxing Day when he needs one wicket to become the first bowler in history to claim 700 wickets. Cricket Australia refused to confirm the reports, although spokesman Phillip Pope said: "There has been a lot of speculation about our players and I am sure they will make an announcement when they feel it is the right time." If Warne does finish at the end of the series he will end a remarkable career at the top having played a major part in reclaiming the Ashes. Interviewed at the side of the Waca pitch on Monday having dismissed last man Monty Panesar to win the third Test and the Ashes, Warne admitted: "These are the things you're going to miss and I'm a lot closer to the end than the start." Warne was expected to continue until after the 2009 Ashes series and add to his staggering tally of 186 wickets in 34 Tests against England. But today's news has left Australia reeling and facing up to a future without the unrivalled superstar of world cricket, who has revolutionised leg-spin since bursting into international cricket in 1992. Former Australian seamer Geoff Lawson admitted: "I'm stunned by this announcement because I thought he still had a couple of years left in him and I thought he was good for a thousand Test wickets. Having regained the Ashes after the disaster of 2005 and doing it in such terrific style, that might have influenced his decision. "Without Shane Warne, Australia would not be 3-0 up in the series. They might have won one but they wouldn't have won in Adelaide or Perth without him and if he's going to go out then I suppose it's best to go out on a high. There will be a lot of disappointed fans around the world, but there won't be too many disappointed opposing batsmen." England, against whom he first established his reputation with the "ball of the century" to Mike Gatting at Old Trafford in 1993, are unlikely to miss him: he has saved many of his best performances for Ashes contests. Only today all-rounder Paul Collingwood, asked about his thoughts on Warne, said: "To get near 700 wickets speaks for itself. The guy is literally a legend. That's probably an over-used term but in cricketing terms he is the ultimate legend. He's probably the best bowler there has ever been on this planet. It's great to face him on the field and it's a massive challenge because he's always in your ear and the balls that come down are great to face, it's what you play the game for." Sri Lanka have cast doubt on Shane Warne's ability to repeat the good form of his subcontinental comeback tour as he stalks Muttiah Muralitharan's world record, suggesting it would be beyond even the great leg spinner's powers to bowl so well in five consecutive Tests. Asked whether Warne had invaded the thoughts of the Sri Lankan batsmen as they prepared for the Test series beginning at Marrara Oval today, coach John Dyson said his team was far less fearful of him in Australian conditions. "I would have to ask in his mind does he still think he is able to bowl as well as that through another two games?" Dyson said. "I'm not sure. I think it's very difficult to bowl as well as he did in that series continuously. I know he's a great bowler, everyone knows that, but he bowled superbly in Sri Lanka and I don't think this wicket, or Cairns, will give him as much help." Warne took 26 wickets at 20.04 runs in Sri Lanka and can break the absent Muralitharan's record of 527 if he captures a further 11 victims in these two Tests, but captain Marvan Atapattu believes the Sri Lankan batsmen can break his spell. "That was a dream comeback tour for him," Atapattu said. "He has troubled most batsmen in world cricket, and that was one of the exceptional tours that he had. But we normally play spin well and I think if we live up to our reputation, we will do well here." However, Adam Gilchrist, standing in as captain for the first Test while Ricky Ponting remains with his bereaved family in Launceston for his aunt's funeral, suggested the Sri Lankans, who will not finalise their team until this morning, were thinking wishfully if they believed Warne would be a much less potent weapon in Darwin and Cairns. But in keeping with Ponting's commitment to team success above personal milestones, the Australians' game plan will not be tinkered with for the sake of Warne's tilt at the record. "It's just not the way the team operates," said Gilchrist, who will captain Australia for the third time. "If you can achieve these personal milestones within our game plan, great, and Warney is talented enough to do it. "He must be in their minds. They will realise they're not quite as spin-friendly conditions here, so that might ease their worry, but ... it goes without saying how much of a part he's played in the success of this team in Australia in non spin-friendly conditions." Victorian batsman Matthew Elliott, a replacement for Ponting, will slot into the No.3 spot in his first Test in five years, while Gilchrist yesterday was still tossing up whether to open the attack with Glenn McGrath or the in-form Jason Gillespie-Michael Kasprowicz new-ball combination that worked so well in Sri Lanka. Paceman Brett Lee has completed his first net session since Australia's tour of Sri Lanka, raising hopes he could be available for selection by the start of summer. "I don't want to make too many predictions, but I've been training with the Blues and the doctors are happy," Lee said.