English cricketers are too soft - Warne

Australian leg-spinner Shane Warne has accused English cricketers of settling for mediocrity.

Warne, speaking before the fourth Ashes test starts at Headingley on Thursday, said the English domestic game would never advance unless the players changed their attitudes.

"A lot of guys are comfortable with their sponsored cars and good wages but they don't push themselves to make it to the next level," he was quoted as saying in the Daily Express newspaper.

"In Australia just about everyone playing first-class cricket is aiming to play at test level and think they can.

"In England you see guys knocking back half-volleys in the warm up but not too many learning how to play spin or bouncers."

He also said too many older players were blocking the paths of younger talent and the national selectors were not picking them up quickly enough.

Warne spent the 2000 English cricket season playing for Hampshire and he also said he would like to return to the county as their overseas professional in 2003.

He played in 15 of Hampshire's 16 county championship matches in 200 in which he was their most successful bowler with 70 wickets at 23.14.

Mail Cricket Editor