Hampshire await Shane Warne's arrival

Shane Warne, Australia's prolific leg spinner arrives in England from the mini tour in South Africa on Tuesday (18th April) morning, and faces the press at the Southampton County Ground at 1.30pm.

There has never been so much hype over the arrival of a new player at Hampshire, than that of Warne. Expectations are high that combined with the signing of Alan Mullally, and the breed of experienced and young blood at the County, that they will hope for a good season as their last at their current headquarters, before moving to the new purpose build sporting complex for the start of season 2001.

It is expected that Warne will make his debut for his new team in the Benson & Hedges clash with Essex at Chelmsford on Wednesday (19th April), and will take his bow before the home supporters at The County Ground in the B&H match v Kent on Thursday (20th April). Given good weather a bumper crowd is expected to welcome him. He then appears in front of the television cameras at Hove, for the all Aussie Clash Bevan v Warne on Easter Sunday (23rd April).

First news and photographs of the Warne press conference will appear on the Hampshire web site [www.hampshire.cricket.org] by early afternoon on Tuesday.