LEEDS (Reuters)
New Zealand rather than Australia are cricket's worst sledgers, according to Shane Warne, while England would do better not to bother at all during Ashes series. Warne, writing in his new autobiography, argued: "For some reason Australia have acquired the reputation of being the worst sledgers in the world, but I think New Zealand should hold that mantle. Whether they just reserve it for us because of the geographical rivalry I don't know, but sometimes it feels like being in an aviary full of twittering birds... Adam Parore is the worst." The leg-spinner, in his book Shane Warne, My Autobiography, said the current Australia side were "relatively quiet, even with Glenn McGrath in our ranks" compared to the team he joined in the early 1990s, when Merv Hughes had claimed a quarter of his wickets were derived directly from his sledging. The West Indians, he argued, "try to get under you with those hard, long stares rather than words", while the English often began Ashes series with "plenty to say for themselves", adding however: "The problem is that if you start sledging without being able to back up your words with performances then it soon loses its effect. There is no point threatening this and that if you are going to be rissoled inside three days." He added: "Of the Asian countries, Pakistan have the most to say for themselves." Warne added of the tactic of sledging: "Certain batsmen are definitely vulnerable - Daryll Cullinan more than most... Usually when I give him a serve he just looks down at the ground." He also singled out former South Africa all-rounder Brian McMillan, who had once warned Warne that he intended to take him fishing and "use you as bait for the sharks". But he added: "I don't say much any more, only when we really need to change the game. Generally now I try and let the ball do the talking."

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