In-form Warne laments untimely hamstring injury

Shane Warne has been denied another crack at South Africa's batsmen as he battles the hamstring injury which has interrupted one of his best seasons of spin bowling.

Warne admitted he wasn't ready for today's fourth one-day international in Bloemfontein after failing to shake the niggle suffered during the hour before he played his 100th Test in Cape Town three weeks ago.

Warne played on and bowled 141 overs in the final two Tests but the injury prevented him from playing three one-day games and Australian team physiotherapist Errol Alcott wanted the 32-year-old to rest until at least Wednesday's fifth match in Durban.

It was good news for South Africa's batsmen, who again failed to handle Warne this season as he claimed 37 wickets from six Tests at an average of 24.72 Warne was convinced he was bowling better than at any stage since returning from the shoulder injury which threatened to derail his career four years ago.

"I wanted to keep on that form in the one-dayers, but it's not to be. Now I suppose I'm going to be a bit rusty coming back for the last couple," Warne said.

"Finally, after a few years of inconsistent form and injuries, I got back to being very happy and confident with my bowling - I don't think I could have bowled any better in these six Tests against South Africa.

"I've been bowling so well, besides the second innings in Durban when I was just too sore with my leg."

Warne and batsman Michael Bevan, who also has a sore hamstring, will spend another day as drinks waiters for an Australian team which leads the seven-match series 2-0 following a dramatic tie in Potchefstroom last Wednesday.

Australian selectors have seen a bright side to the injury problems, with Queenslanders Nathan Hauritz and Jimmy Maher impressing in the series, and Warne has also found a positive thought.

"I'd love to be out on the park, but the break probably did me the world of good," he said.

"When you think about what we've had - the Australian summer, India, England, the Australian summer, South Africa - it's been a pretty long 12 to 18 months, so 10 days off doing nothing much apart from being a gym junkie has been pretty good.

"(The hamstring) feels a lot better but it's still not right. If I play and bowl or dive for a caught and bowled or something, and I'm out for another four to six weeks, it'd be no good to anyone.

"It wouldn't be fair to team or myself to come back too early."

But Warne has still fired a verbal shot at South Africa's batsmen, insisting the inclusion of young opener Graeme Smith to the Proteas' squad was a boost for Australia.

"A few of the South Africans have a few technical things against the quicks with the new ball and that's obviously why guys like Smith have been brought in but he's probably got more problems than a few of them," Warne said.

"I know he had one or two good innings in the Tests but in Cape Town I think he was out three times before he got to nought and he went on and got 50. He played pretty well after that.

"He's only young and hopefully he'll learn by those experiences and be good for South Africa but him coming into the team is probably going to help us."