Warne willing to help out-of-form Hauritz

Warne said Hauritz remained Australia's top spinner but needed to find form ahead of the Ashes starting next month after India’s batsmen tore him apart on their way to a series victory. “That's up to Ricky Ponting and (coach) Tim Nielsen, but if they are happy for me to work with Horry (Hauritz) before the Ashes, then I'm more than happy to,” local media on Friday quoted Warne as saying.

“I will make myself available and fit it into my schedule. Murali, Daniel Vettori and myself and a lot of other spinners have been smashed in India at times. That is no disgrace at all.”  Warne, who blamed Ponting for the porous field placement for Hauritz in his Twitter rampage on the final day, said that there was no question of rushing legspinner-in-waiting Steve Smith into the pressure cooker of Ashes cricket.