Warne hopes for three more years at the top

Shane Warne insists his retirement from one-day internationals is permanent and he hopes that this decision will enable him to play Test cricket for three more years.

Warne, 35, quit the limited overs format after the World Cup in 2003, although he took no part in the tournament itself after he was banned for a year for failing a drugs test.

"Of course I'd love to keep playing one-day cricket," he told the Reuters news agency. "I'm smart enough to realise if I continue to play both forms of the game, then I don't think I can play for another three years of Test cricket, as I'd like to do."

Warne, who is eighth on the all-time list of wicket takers in one-day internationals with 291 at 25.8 apiece, made a point of handing his number 23 one-day shirt to Michael Clarke on Saturday to reinforce his retirement. In giving away the shirt, he also hoped to start a tradition of passing on squad numbers.

"It's a tradition that hasn't really happened in cricket and I wanted to be the first guy," Warne said, before going on to praise Clarke, who made a century against India on his Test debut this year. "It's pretty simple. I love the way he plays the game. He entertains the crowd."

For his part, Clarke was delighted. "Obviously, it's a privilege and honour to receive that from Warney, he's a fantastic guy and has been a great cricketer for so long," he said.

Australia will face New Zealand in a three-match one-day series which starts in Melbourne on Sunday.