England undone by Ashes hype, says Warne

LONDON, Wednesday (AFP) Shane Warne insisted here Tuesday that England had paid the price for getting caught up in the hype surrounding the Ashes after Australia's crushing 239-run first Test win at Lord's.

"I think what certain players said in the build-up was important. It was surprising to hear some of them come out with such strong opinions," Warne wrote in his column in The Times.

"I just dont think it is in the personality of everybody to make big statements such as 'so-and-so is over the top' and I think they suffered during the game by trying to live up to something that was not true to their character," the legendary leg-spinner added.

"You are positive with actions, not words. If they were told to do it then the tactic backfired." In the build-up to the game, England pace bowler Matthew Hoggard, not renowned for his outspokeness, suggested to BBC Radio that Warne was "not the force he was".

He also called into question the stamina and form of the master slow bowler's fellow 35-year-old Glenn McGrath.

As it turned out, fast bowler McGrath took nine for 82 on his way to being named man-of-the-match and becoming one of only four bowlers, including Warne, to take 500 Test wickets.

Both he and Warne, who took four for 64 in England's second innings, each dimissed Hoggard for nought and, as well as his pair, the 28-year-old Yorkshire seamer returned modest match figures of three for 96 in 24 overs.

Warne, who captains Kevin Pietersen at Hampshire, said that while it was fine for the 25-year-old South African-born batsman, whose Test debut saw him top-score with half-centuries in both innings (57 and 64 not out), to make bold statements, his team-mates didn't have to tread the same path. "A guy like Pietersen will go through his career making outrageous claims. It suits him and he thinks he can back everything up," Warne explained.

"That is the man," added Warne, Pietersen's greatest supporter in his bid for a Test cap. "There isn't any point telling him to tone down his act, but that doesn't mean the quieter guys have to follow suit.

"A few of them seemed to get caught up in the hype."

Warne, now just 11 wickets away from becoming the first man to take 600 in Tests, insisted he didn't intend to fall into the same trap despite Australia, winners of the last eight Ashes series, taking this year's opener with more than a day to spare.

"When England had a bit of success in the one-day series, I suggested that people should wait until the middle of September to celebrate.

"Today, I'd like to give the same advice to Australians who may think that the Ashes are as good as retained after the win at Lord's." Warne admitted he'd gained greatly from two days training with spin guru Terry Jenner, the former Australia Test leg-break bowler who was in the country to take part in an England and Wales Cricket Board coaching programme..

"He felt that the ball was coming out of my hand beautifully, but the alignment of the action was not quite right, Warne explained.

"After a couple of good, long sessions on Tuesday and Wednesday, I felt more confident and the results are there to see. Whatever you have achieved, there is always room to improve."

Warne, in his last attempt at the feat, just fell short of taking five wickets in a Test innings at Lord's and getting his name on the dressing room honours board.

"That doesn't really matter,"Warne insisted. "I must admit it was a real thrill to walk through the Long Room every time and see my portrait on the wall. I still feel I have left a mark."