Shane warne is expected to announce tomorrow his retirement from international cricket after the last Ashes Test, according to reports in Australia. Warne, 37, is one wicket away from becoming the first bowler in Test history to claim 700 wickets and is ready to step down after the final Ashes Test in Sydney, which concludes on January 6. The controversial spinner, named one of Wisden's five cricketers of the century in 2000, is expected to begin a career in the media. The Victorian is considered arguably the greatest leg-spinner ever and has been the leading Test wicket-taker since October 2004, becoming the first bowler to reach 600 wickets in August 2005. He has played 143 Tests since his debut in the 1991/92 Test against India in Sydney. Warne was first brought into the English consciousness with his `Ball of the Century' to Mike Gatting at Old Trafford in 1993. Warne's illustrious career has frequently been dogged by controversy and he pulled out of the World Cup in 2003 after testing positive for the banned substances hydro-chlorothiazide and amiloride after taking a diuretic given to him by his mother during his recovery from a shoulder injury. He was banned for 12 months but returned to the Australian Test side early in 2004. In 1998 Warne admitted he and Mark Waugh had passed on pitch and weather reports to a man later found to be working for a betting syndicate. Meanwhile, Australia's forgotten leg-spinner Stuart MacGill is happy to bide his time and wait for his chance to star in the Ashes series. MacGill was again omitted from the squad for the fourth Test in Melbourne, which begins on Boxing Day, as selectors named an unchanged 12-man squad. However, the former Nottinghamshire player is hopeful he will get a call in the series finale on the spin-friendly wicket at Sydney. Despite a fruitless return of0-137 against Victoria in New South Wales' crushing loss in the Pura Cup yesterday, MacGill's numbers still stack up favourably against his biggest rival for the second spinner's berth, South Australian Daniel Cullen. The 35-year-old has taken 16 wickets at 34.81 from four matches this summer while Cullen has three wickets at 76. | 
