Rejuvenated Warne aiming for 600 Test wickets

It doesn't take a genius to know that Shane Warne's performance will be pivotal to the outcome of this summer's Ashes series.

Even at 35, Warne shows no sign of slowing down and - barring injuries - he'll extend his record Test haul beyond the 600-mark this summer. Having scored his maiden first-class hundred this summer for Hampshire, Warne will also hope for a few runs against England. But of course it is his bowling - so destructive against England - which is so crucial.

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Like many Australians of his generation, Warne has barely tasted defeat against England. He has been on the wrong end of a result against England only five times in his 26 matches, while his tally of 132 wickets in 26 matches at a shade over 23 compares favourably to his overall average of 25.51 - although this is in itself impressive for a spinner.

In fact, Warne's displays against England have been even better away from home. Warne has taken a liking to English conditions, and England batsmen, in his three Ashes tours. In 1993, he was the top wicket-taker, with 34 at 25.79; in 1997, he took 24 wickets at 24.04; and in 2001, he ended with 31 wickets at 18.70.

Though Glenn McGrath has been the top wicket-taker in each of the past two Ashes Tours, it's notable that Warne's economy rate has been improving over the years. While Austalia's forgotten legspinner, Stuart MacGill, has a marginally better wickets-per-match ratio and a slightly better strike-rate, what has made Warne such an asset to his captains over the years is his control. And while Australia's allround brilliance should not be underestimated, Warne's effect on the team's results has also been immense, with the Aussies winning 75 of the 123 matches in which he has played, losing just 24.

The Old Trafford Test is a good bet for backing Warne in individual matches; in his two Tests there, he has taken 17 wickets at 14.58. Trent Bridge is a narrow second, with 21 wickets at 18.14 in three appearances. At Lord's, his record is 13 wickets at 22.23; at the Oval it's 20 at 20.3 and at Edgbaston it's a relatively disappointing 15 at 25.46.

Warne the batsman?
In contrast, Warne's batting has been sobering, with a top score of 53 in England and an overall average of 16.35. Some of that can probably be put down to the fact that he bats at 8 and that Australia have rarely been in trouble in his time, but his century for Hampshire should tell England - if they didn't already know - that he's no mug.

Sporting Index and Bet365 will be releasing markets on both Warne's wickets and runs, and it'll be interesting to see what they offer for his performance with the bat. And with Australia 2/5 (1.40) to win the series, how many times he'll bat has to be factored in. In 1993, he made 113 in five innings and in 1997 he hit 188 in six innings, but in 2001 he batted just four times and made a paltry 13 runs.

Any allround performance markets are also interesting, as Warne is a superb slip-fielder; he has taken 107 catches in his 123 Tests. Whatever the markets, England should expect Warne to hit the ground running, thanks to a couple of months in English conditions with Hampshire.

Please note that odds are correct at time of publication and are subject to change.