Warne caps farewell with brilliant all round display

SYDNEY, Jan 4 (Reuters) Typical of a man regarded as one of the all-time greats, Shane Warne marked his farewell to test cricket with a brilliant all-round display in the final Ashes test against England today.

The greatest wicket-taker in history smashed 71 with the bat then captured the vital scalp of England skipper Andrew Flintoff to leave his team poised to record their first Ashes clean sweep in 86 years.

England limped to stumps on day three on 114-5, leading by just 12 runs with only five second innings wickets remaining, after Warne's blazing form with the bat gave Australia a crucial 103 run lead on the first innings.

''Once we got a bit of a lead, I thought every run was pretty crucial and we might get a 50, 60-run lead, so to get a 100-run lead was a bonus,'' Warne told a news conference at the Sydney Cricket Ground.

''I was falling asleep in the room before I went out there so I had a couple of Red Bulls and I was buzzing. I hit a four and a six off the first two balls and I thought 'here we go'.'' Warne's 65-ball innings featured nine fours and two sixes and was his 12th test half-century but his dismissal robbed him of the chance of a maiden test hundred in what was almost certainly his last innings.

''Obviously it would have been a dream to get a hundred -- whoever's been writing my scripts this summer has been on fire -- but I didn't really think I could there,'' he said.

SENSATIONAL CRICKET Australia were in a spot of bother at 260-6 before Warne's rearguard display elevated them to 393 but the 37-year-old said that was typical of how the series had gone.

''A lot of people have said that England have played poor cricket this time but I don't actually agree with that,'' he said.

''I think England have played some excellent cricket at times but this is as good a cricket as Australia has played in all my time.

''Whenever we've been in trouble someone's just put their hand up and that's all credit to the Australian team rather than England playing poorly.

''We've just played some sensational cricket and we deserve to be in the situation we're in. I think our whole group has bowled exceptionally well and we've really suffocated England in the big moments.'' Warne, who is retiring from test cricket after the match along with Glenn McGrath and Justin Langer, said he had no regrets about his decision and could not think of a better way to go out than by beating England 5-0.

''I won't be sad tomorrow, I'll be happy,'' he said.

''If we can can get out there and win tomorrow and go 5-0 up and whitewash the series then that's a fantastic achievement by a wonderful cricket team.

''The stuff I've achieved in the Australian cricket team and what we've achieved as a group of players over a period of time... it's been a wonderful career for me.

''I might be a little bit reflective sitting in the dressing room with a cold beer but I won't be crying or anything because my body's telling me it's time to go, I know that for sure.'' REUTERS PDS KN1638