Warne keen to mentor young spinners

Shane Warne could be coaching Australia's young spin bowlers this season and Cricket Australia will "bite like a starving snapper" to secure his services. Warne is keen to help the likes of Cullen Bailey, Dan Cullen and Cameron White to develop their craft and prepare them for the challenges of international cricket.

"I am speaking to Cricket Australia at the moment about how we can best utilise my skills and my experiences of the game and how we can get around to all the states and help the other spinners, talk to the captains," Warne told the Age. "We're just working out the best way to do it, with the time restraints as well, in season, out of season, all that stuff. Hopefully I can play a big part."

Warne is likely to play in the Indian Premier League next April and will follow that with another season at Hampshire. He is free from cricketing commitments during the Australian home summer and Cricket Australia wants to strike a deal as soon as possible.

"We would bite like a starving snapper if there was an opportunity to have him involved," Cricket Australia's spokesman Peter Young said. "He is passionate about Australian cricket and wants to put something back into Australian cricket.

"He has a remarkable cricket brain and what is really exciting, above all, is what he might do for slow bowlers. It's an exciting possibility, but it's early days."

Warne has already contacted Bailey and Cullen, both of whom are mentored by Warne's former tutor Terry Jenner, and he has played alongside White at Victoria for seven years. However, Warne expects Stuart MacGill will have the initial chance to replace him at Test level when Australia take on Sri Lanka in November.

"Magilla has done exceptionally well when he has had to play so he will probably be the first choice," Warne said. "The good thing for Australian cricket is there are plenty of good spinners around."