Cricket: Bite the bullet and make Warne captain - Lillee

Dennis Lillee

PERTH - Fast bowling great Dennis Lillee has called for Shane Warne to replace Ricky Ponting as captain of the Australian team in the wake of the Ashes defeat.

Lillee also launched a scathing attack on Cricket Australia, accusing it of allocating funds to executives and their wives "so they can follow the team around in great luxury" when it might be better spent on assistance for the team.

Most of the Australian squad have arrived home, with pressure on Ponting and coach John Buchanan following the 2-1 defeat in England.

"If Australia want to regain the Ashes they would dramatically improve their chances by appointing Shane Warne as captain," Lillee wrote in his column in the West Australian newspaper yesterday.

Lillee believed Warne acted as a "pseudo captain" during the dramatic drawn fifth test and felt Ponting should be left to concentrate on his batting.

Warne was named Australian player of the series after taking 40 wickets in the five tests and making valuable contributions with the bat.

The 36-year-old's history of off-field indiscretions weren't a factor to Lillee, who felt the world's leading wicket-taker could extend his career via the captaincy.

"I got the distinct impression Warne was the pseudo captain during the fifth test at the Oval," Lillee wrote. "He was heavily involved in helping set the field and whenever I turned on the television, he was speaking on behalf of the Australian team.

"There is no doubt Warne has an amazing cricketing brain - but not only that, any cricket he plays is at 120 per cent and full of passion, guts and determination.

"Desperate times call for desperate measures, but Warne led from the front throughout the tour and I wouldn't be worried about his previous indiscretions off the field."

Lillee didn't stop there, pointing the finger at virtually everyone involved at Cricket Australia for the series loss.

"If we are to get this team back on the rails, the plan has to go way deeper than making a few cosmetic changes to the team," he said.

"Make no mistake, Australia were ambushed by England because way too many people right across the board were living in a comfort zone.

"Cricket Australia executives, the coach, the manager, the captain and support staff must all be held accountable for this disaster."

Heading into the next Ashes series in 15 months, Lillee said Matthew Hayden, Damien Martyn and Simon Katich were the most vulnerable batsmen.

He also warned that English bowlers Steve Harmison, Andrew Flintoff, Simon Jones and Matthew Hoggard would perform even better on the harder Australian pitches.

The comments come after Lillee predicted England would win the fifth test and the Ashes.

Lillee had a falling out with Cricket Australia last year, ending his stint as bowling coach with the Australian team after a disagreement over his pay.

He believes the entire coaching structure needs to be reviewed.

"The coffers of Cricket Australia have never been so flush, so why isn't the money being ploughed back into helping the test team instead of being allocated to executives and their wives so they can follow the team around in great luxury."

Cricket Australia rejected Lillee's attack, stating two high-ranking staff members who attended Ashes tests with their wives picked up their own tabs.

- AAP