Warne poised to claim 700th wicket in home test

PERTH, Dec 18 (Reuters) Shane Warne is poised to become the first player to capture 700 test wickets after bowling Australia to a series-clinching Ashes victory over England today.

The master leg-spinner picked up three of the final five wickets at the WACA on Monday to lift his world record tally to 699.

The 37-year-old has always loved the spotlight and as fate would have it, he stands on the verge of reaching the magical 700-wicket milestone on the biggest stage of all.

The next Ashes test is at the 100,000-seater Melbourne Cricket Ground, starting next Tuesday. Melbourne is Warne's home city and tickets for every day of the match sold out within hours.

With the series decided, Warne's bid to get his 700th wicket is sure to dominate the lead-up to Melbourne and Australian captain Ricky Ponting said he was looking forward to it.

''What an amazing, remarkable milestone that will be,'' Ponting told a news conference.

''Shane couldn't even have scripted the whole thing any better. Being on 699 wickets going to Melbourne. It couldn't have worked out any better for him.

''The crowd down there is going to be huge...and with Warney sitting on 699 wickets, I'm sure he's going to be looking forward to it.'' Warne has tormented England's batsmen since he bowled Mike Gatting with his very first Ashes delivery in 1993 and shows no sign of slowing down.

He took 40 wickets in last year's series in England and has 14 from three tests this time, including four in each of England's three second innings.

Warne ripped through England's lineup on the final day in Adelaide to help Australia pull off a remarkable victory when the match seemed to be heading for a draw then clean bowled Monty Panesar on Monday seal to Australia's Ashes victory.

''At the start of this series it was about being ready and we knew how they were going to play and it was all about our execution,'' Warne said in a televised interview.

''Adelaide was the turning-point, when we won that it was really special and this side can do special things.

''I think we have played some excellent cricket right throughout the series, it is a real good side to be part of.

''These are the things you are going to miss, because I am closer to the end than the bloody start.'' REUTERS PM VV1613