Bring back Warne, cry Aussies

Warne, as famous for generating tabloid headlines as match-winning performances, would revitalise Australia's blunt attack which took only six wickets in their past two innings, columnist Peter Fitzsimons, a former Australia rugby international, wrote in Wednesday's Sydney Morning Herald.

"Yes, England are on course for their first stunning victory since 1986-87 and it will be at our expense. Unless we do something. Who ya gonna call? Not Ghostbusters. Why not Shane Warne? You need to get these wickets. You have a choice of, say, Xavier Doherty, Nathan Hauritz, Cameron White and Shane Warne, in his commentary gear. How many would really throw the ball to any of the first three in such a scenario?"

More than 70 percent of respondents to an online survey carried by a local tabloid said Warne should be recalled, but the spinner has played a straight bat -- without expressly ruling himself out. "There has been a bit written in Australia and people have been asking me about making a comeback. All I can say is that it is very flattering to hear those words," Warne wrote in Daily Telegraph. He instead plumped for Michael Beer, an untried state cricketer, for his left-arm spin.