Shane Warne is looking for a fitting end to his Ashes career in England. For the Australian leg spinner, that means victory in this week's fifth and final Test at The Oval. The match, starting Thursday, will decide whether Australia prolongs its 16-year hold on the Ashes, or the prized urn goes back to the English.
Warne made his Ashes debut with the "ball of the century" to dismiss Mike Gatting in 1993.
The in-form veteran now stands to close that chapter of his colourful career in similarly spectacular fashion. A match-winning and series-saving performance in one of the most eagerly anticipated matches in history would do nicely.
"It's probably been my best ever series I've played in and, with the bat and the ball, the numbers I've done have been pretty good," Warne said Tuesday.
"But at the end of the day, it doesn't really matter. Everything that's happened in this series doesn't matter now. It all gets down to five days and, irrespective of what has happened, it doesn't mean an absolute thing, it's basically a one-Test-match series now." Australia must win the match to retain the Ashes, while England, with a 2-1 series lead, needs a draw to win the series for the first time since 1986-87.
It's exactly the type of situation Warne thrives on. "I've proved that over the years," he said. "I don't think I have to prove anything to anyone any more. I've achieved a lot more things that I ever thought I would but, in these situations, this is when I think the real good players stand out."
{{/usCountry}}It's exactly the type of situation Warne thrives on. "I've proved that over the years," he said. "I don't think I have to prove anything to anyone any more. I've achieved a lot more things that I ever thought I would but, in these situations, this is when I think the real good players stand out."
{{/usCountry}}Warne, who turns 36 next week, will not be returning to England the next time the series is played here, he will be nearly 40. But he is well equipped to deal with the pressure of this crucial final match.
Plagued by off-field controversy throughout his career, Warne has continued to bounce back and his ability to do so has never been more evident than in this series.
His highly publicized split from wife Simone shortly before the first Test was "the toughest thing that's ever happened in my life."
He has since performed outstandingly.
"I've been very proud of those achievements because it hasn't been easy, it's been pretty tough," he said. "It's my last series here, so I want to make it something special."
"This is probably the biggest Test match of all of our careers, both England and Australia," said the Aussie leg spinner.