Warne to be fit for the Ashes (9 Sep 1998)

9 September 1998

Warne to be fit for the Ashes

By Nelson Clare

SHANE WARNE said yesterday that he should be fit for the first Ashes Test against England in November. The healing of the leg-spinner's reconstructed shoulder is ahead of schedule and he will test it in Sheffield Shield matches starting next month.

Just a few weeks ago Warne said at a sports function there was a danger he might never play again but he now says it is a matter of when, not if.

"At the physio over the last couple of weeks I've shown some good progress and at this stage I'm aiming for the first Shield game," he said at the launch of the Victorian season.

He has made himself unavailable for Australia's tour of Pakistan starting on Sept 23 but said he was aiming to make his Test comeback against England in Brisbane on Nov 24.

He said he needed to play the Shield games in the lead-up to gauge how his shoulder was recovering. With a "brand new shoulder" he believes his bowling action should be better than ever.

Source :: Electronic Telegraph (https://www.telegraph.co.uk)