Cricket: Warne in Hot Water After Clashes With Umpire

The umpires Alan Whitehead and Nigel Cowley will have to decide whether to report Shane Warne to Lord's after a spat involving the Hampshire captain yesterday.

Their end-of-match report might also mention Billy Taylor, the Hampshire swing bowler, who ignited tempers when he and all the close fielders launched a prolonged and noisy appeal after Scott Newman appeared to be caught behind in the fourth over of a rain-delayed day.

The Surrey opener was then on 14 - he went on to make 111 - and Taylor continued to make his feelings known until, at the end of the over, Whitehead called Warne over.

Their animated discussion lasted at least two minutes with lots of finger pointing from Whitehead and lots of shrugs from Warne. Three times the umpire followed the Australian when he tried to turn away only to rejoin the argument.

Warne was given three penalty points last season after a spat with Somerset's Peter Bowler. He was also reported after an incident involving the Essex captain Ronnie Irani and yesterday Alan Fordham, the first-class cricket operations manager for the ECB, admitted he had spoken to Whitehead during the tea interval but refused to comment further. Neither would Whitehead.

Taylor's anger might have been heightened because Newman had just driven him through the covers for his second four of the day at the start of his fourth century in the championship.

As if to make up for the 28 overs lost to morning rain, the Surrey opener launched into the Hampshire bowling, reaching his half-century in 47 balls. Taylor was pulled from the attack after three overs had cost 14, but his replacement, the Zimbabwean Sean Ervine, fared even worse, conceding 30 from his first four.

Newman gave two chances - to cover off Warne on 78 and to the diving Nic Pothas behind the stumps eight runs later - and did not add to his tea-time 111 before Taylor had a measure of revenge, finding enough of an edge to satisfy umpire Cowley.

Earlier Graham Thorpe, captaining Surrey because of Mark Ramprakash's fractured finger, announced himself with the sweetest of cover drives, but lasted only another 20 balls before nicking Chris Tremlett to second slip for 10.

· Hampshire have signed Shane Watson to replace Warne during the Ashes. The 23-year-old Australian all-rounder will spend eight weeks with Hampshire from July 15.