Hard shoulder Warne fizzes back after rapid recovery

He was smashed for three sixes in a row, conceded 53 runs from eight overs and was run out for a duck, but Shane Warne still came through his first match in almost a month with flying colours.

Although his performance was below his normal standards at the MCG, the sight of Warne back in action was a welcome relief for Australian fans after a week in which they lost the last Ashes Test to England and were humiliated by Sri Lanka in a one-day match.

Warne looked to be a bowler rediscovering his art after completing a remarkably fast recovery by captaining Victoria in a domestic one-dayer against Western Australia, only 26 days after dislocating his bowling shoulder - and seemingly with it his country's World Cup prospects - in a one-day game against England.

But the 33-year-old did more than just roll his arm over. As if to demand that the shoulder do more than simply survive in its first competitive adventure Warne gave the joint a thorough workout in only the second over of the match, diving to his right from first slip to take a sharp catch and landing heavily on the recovered shoulder.

For all the glowing physiotherapist's reports and the hours of net bowl ing that had convinced Warne he was ready to play again, this was the first real test. "That [catch] wasn't in the plan, but I suppose it just shows that my shoulder is pretty good," he said.

Warne bowled every ball in his repertoire but the famous flipper to announce he was ready again for international cricket.

His desire to return during the current tri-series with England and Sri Lanka might be thwarted, however, by the Australian hierachy who are determined not to endanger Warne'srecovery before the team leaves for southern Africa at the end of the month.