da roleta： England’s wounds have hardly had time to heal since their mauling inthe third Test against Sri Lanka, but Shane Warne believes that theywill only emerge stronger and tougher against Pakistan later thissummer
Jenny Thompson07-Jun-2006
Shane Warne: he’s still eyeing up the 2009 Ashes © OnEdition
England’s wounds have hardly had time to heal since their mauling inthe third Test against Sri Lanka, but Shane Warne believes that theywill only emerge stronger and tougher against Pakistan later thissummer. Speaking at the launch of his new poker website, PokerCricket.com, Warne said:”It’s the one series they’ve got before the Ashes so it will make alltheir players really hungry. I expect a very good showing.”Thoughts are already turning, of course, to this winter’s showdown inAustralia, and Warne hopes that Monty Panesar will be on the plane,despite mounting speculation that his fellow spinner won’t be able tocope with the crowd pressure.”If Monty keeps fielding like he has, I’m sure he’ll be a crowdfavourite in Australia.” But if Monty keeps fielding like he has -fluffing at will – he may not be much of a dressing-room favourite.Still, Warne believes Panesar has no option but to continue as he is.”The more you try and fight them, if you get upset with them, the moreit can actually affect you. You can have a joke with them and fun withthem.”If it’s not so surprising that Warne favours Panesar, what may come asa shock to English tacticians is his backing of another spin wizard:Merlyn, the bowling machine. Ominously, he claims that Merlyn – thevery machine designed to help English batsmen learn to combatWarne-like whirlers in last year’s Ashes – leaves him holding all theaces.”I think it helps me,” he revealed, “because it does these sillythings with balls that spin that far and people say ‘How do I playthat?’ and that helps me. So the more they use that the better Ireckon.”One thing he does say which will come as some comfort to the Englandline-up is that he has no plans to develop any new balls just now.”There’s nothing in the pipeline at the moment,” he said – but is thisjust a double bluff? Either way, he’s doubtless going to cause Englandenough problems come this winter – and beyond.He hasn’t yet ruled out playing in the 2009 series, as Richie Benaudrecently said he hoped he would do. Speaking of Benaud, thesilver-haired septuagenerian was the surprise choice for who Warne wouldlike to play him in the upcoming musical of his life.The work, imaginatively entitled Shane Warne: The Musical, iscurrently being penned by the Melbourne-based comic Eddie Perfect. Hehad been undecided whether to let Warne know or not, but news travelsfast and Warne already knew about it – and he’s not necessarilypleased.
Shane Warne: larger than life, and now a statue as well © Getty Images
“It depends on what sort of spin he wants to put on it, doesn’t it? Hecan be factual, he can not be factual. He can exaggerate it. I don’tknow, I haven’t thought it through whether I like it or don’t like it.But I don’t like it how people can do books on you … anyone can writea book on anyone, I don’t like that law. I don’t like that people cando things about your life without consent, I don’t think that’s fair.”Neither does he think the ticketing fiasco in Australia has worked outparticularly fairly, although he recognises the need for CricketAustralia to have put some policies into place, regardless of how theywere eventually executed. “There’s a 40,000 stadium – you don’t want35,000 Englishmen and 5,000 for Australia, it’s a home ground forEngland.”Not that he will take much notice when the Barmy Army start up. “Ithink because I’ve copped it so much, sledging doesn’t get to me. TheEnglish have got the best songs. Sometimes they overstep the mark butI think generally it’s maybe a bit of fun.”And fun is what it’s all about for Warne, who hasn’t ruled outappearing in the 2009 Ashes. “It’s all about enjoyment. If you enjoywhat you’re doing, keep doing it, if not it’s time to do somethingelse.”He has to retire at some point – and his poker venture will, he hopes,provide a business interest, but in the meantime, how many more Testvictims would he like to go with his 685 to date? How many is enough?”Never enough! Whatever it is in life, it’s never enough.”