LONDON (Reuters)
Shane Warne believes former England captain Mike Atherton sent out the wrong signals on thefield of play during his five years in charge of the team.

The Australian leg-spinner said in his autobiography, serialised this week in the Daily Mail newspaper, that Atherton "did an okay job (as captain)" but his body language let him down.

Atherton skippered England from 1993-1998 and will captain the side in the third Ashes Test at Trent Bridge starting today in the absence of the injured Nasser Hussain.

"When you turn up at a ground midway through the game it should be impossible to tell from the attitude of the fielding team whether they are on top or behind," Warne said. "You should have to look at the scoreboard, not see it on the field

"The tone on the field is set by the wicketkeeper and the captain -- and Atherton sent out the wrong signals."

Warne said that Atherton's back problems may have partly explained his posture. "But he could hardly expect England to look enthusiastic when his own shoulders were hunched and his hands were stuck in his pockets when they weren't on top," he added.

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