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Warne bids for return to Test form

Hampshire says he will be playing for them next season.

Shane Warne -- the man in question -- isn't quite as sure. "A lot of counties have spoken to me, some figures are being mentioned, but nothing is confirmed," is Warne's take.

All of which mirrors the situation two years ago, when Warne kept a lot of counties dangling on his string, then did an about turn and decided not to play in the English league after all, leaving some county officials with very red faces.

Meanwhile, the ace leg-spinner says his focus, for now, is to prove that he is back to his best, especially in the Test arena. It will be recalled that for the first time since his hitting the big time, Warne was dropped for form during the Test series in the Caribbean earlier this year. To add to his ignominy, he was replaced -- on form and performance -- by an upcoming pretender to his leg-spinning throne, in Stuart MacGill.

The 29-year-old leggie with 317 Test wickets has joined team-mates for a three day training camp prior to the twin tours of Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe.

Warne said he hoped to use the five one dayers -- a reference to the tri-nation tournament involving Australia, Sri Lanka and India -- to get into shape and form ahead of the Test series against Sri Lanka, but added that being back to his best in the longer version of the game was definitely top priority.

"My shoulder is back to what it was before the surgery, so I am quite excited about the prospect of playing Tests again," Warne said.