Warne apologises for Ashes false alarm
Australian legend says sorry after misinterpreted comments create a media storm in his homeland
Shane Warne yesterday apologised to Australia test skipper Michael Clarke after comments about a possible dramatic return for next year's Ashes series against England sparked a media frenzy.
"Sorry MClarke23 if you woke up to calls!!!! See you soon buddy," he tweeted to the skipper, a close friend.
The 43-year-old leg-spinner, regarded as one of the game's greatest players, quit tests in 2007 but captained the Indian Premier League side Rajasthan Royals for four years, winning the inaugural tournament in 2008.
Now preparing for another season in Australia's Big Bash League with the Melbourne Stars, he said he had "absolutely no doubt" he could bowl successfully at test level again.
Warne said if Clarke suggested his services were needed after the test team's recent bowling struggles against South Africa, he would give it some serious thought.
"If your best friend says, 'Mate, I want you to seriously consider making a commitment to Australian cricket and coming back out of retirement', [to] make myself available for selection, that's a different scenario," Warne said.
"From a purely bowling perspective, I don't think my form would be the concern, it's just the time and actually making that commitment again."
