Pity Warne's class is lost to Australia

EVERYONE thought the last word had been written about Shane Warne, the great competitor, the old rogue.But there he was, larger than life, fitter than usual, wheeling away in the nets, encouraging his players, calling out "drop and run" and towards the end of a long net session in baking sunshine, urging them to keep going.Rajasthan Royals, his team, has made its base camp in Cape Town and under the ageing leg-spinner's stewardship was preparing for a few friendlies and then the start of the IPL season on Saturday. The Royals are the surprise title holders and determined to defy the odds a second time. And Warne is their brain and their heartbeat. The previous night he had told the players to be unselfish, for its own sake and because "no one takes any notice of losing sides.