Warne gives up playing in first two Ashes Tests (11 November 1998)
Melbourne, Australia, Nov 11 (AFP) - Shane Warne has all but written himself off from the first two Ashes cricket Tests against England
"I think the third or fourth Test is a more realistic chance," said Warne, who returns to the Sheffield Shield against Western Australia in Perth starting Friday. Warne's recovery from major shoulder surgery will be put tested when he leads Victoria this week.
"Hopefully, I'll just get through this Shield game okay, bowl a few more overs in the next Shield game and just gradually build it up," said Warne. The pitch is expected to provide plenty of bounce and Warne said he expected Victoria's fast bowlers to carry the bulk of the workload.
"The nature of the wicket over here this year is that the fast bowlers have been doing all the business," Warne said. "I think the fast bowlers will do most of the work and I'll bowl my overs, hopefully not too many."
Warne, urged by Australian captain Mark Taylor and selector Allan Border not to rush back into Test action, said his shoulder showed no reaction after bowling eight overs in Victoria's domestic Cup win over NSW last week. He said he wasn't sure how many overs he was capable of bowling at this stage but was keen to test the shoulder further.
"I haven't really put a ceiling on it, but I don't want to bowl 60 overs," he said. "If I bowl 15 overs or more in an innings hopefully it will be OK."