SHANE WARNE'S fellow Victorian Matthew Elliott, the Glamorgan batsman, expects the Hampshire captain to be even more of a threat during the Ashes series.

Warne has already taken 25 championship wickets at 20.20 this season, but Elliott reckons the leg spinner will be an even more potent threat against England when the most eagerly anticipated Ashes series for years begins on July 21.

He said: "What you find with Warney is that he might play well at the county or state level but he finds an extra 20 or 30 per cent on the international stage. Maybe even more."

Left-hander Elliott, who starred for Australia during the 1997 Ashes series, first played alongside Warne for his state in 1993. He played against Warne for the first time last July, when he scored an unbeaten 81 as Glamorgan beat Hampshire by seven wickets in Cardiff on their way to winning the totesport National League title.

"I'd never played against him in a competitive match until that game, and just before he bowled me his first ball we both giggled a bit. But once we got that out of the way it was a real battle," recalled 33-year-old Elliott, who played two championship matches against Warne within a fortnight of their first head to head.

"There was definitely a bit of oneupmanship going on but in the championship match down at Southampton. Warney had me out stumped and he absolutely lovedit!" added Elliott.

Hampshire beat Glamorgan by nine wickets at Cardiff last year and then drew the return championship match at the Rose Bowl before Elliott, who has 21 Test caps, played four first-class matches and three one-day games withWarne for Victoria in 2004-05.

"For most of his career his main team has been Australia and he has played relatively little state cricket. Certainly over the last five years I have played with him no more than 12 times.

"He takes great pride in having taken more Test wickets than state wickets and more state wickets than club wickets.

"But since he hasn't played so much one-day cricket with Australia he's played a bit more than he has done in the past for Victoria.

"And for the last season or so we have had a bit of a card school including Warney, myself and Ian Harvey.

"Needless to say, Warney takes that about as seriously as his cricket! We play this game which is a bit like bridge, and if his partner isn't up to scratch Warney soon lets him know about it.

"He really does fancy himself with cards, not just in a game sense but also with regards to tricks and magic."

Elliott is Glamorgan's form batsman ahead of tomorrow's clash, having scored 318 runs at 53.00 in a struggling side, but he knows Warne will make it tough for the Welsh county to avoid a fifth successive defeat.

He added: "Warney's given everything to Australia but with his international career reaching its autumn, I know he's very keen that success comes Hampshire's way, which might have something to do with all those sledging allegations against Sussex!"

Elliott was impressed with Hampshire's left-handed opener Jimmy Adams at Cardiff last season, when the Winchester-born batsman led his home county to a memorable win by battling through the pain of a dislocated finger for an unbeaten 65.

But Adams has had a lean time this year and has been replaced by Greg Lamb,who could be handed his first first-class appearance at the Rose Bowl, having made his championship debut in the last game of last season at Derbyshire.

Zimbabwean Lamb has been rewarded for his unbeaten 167 in the second XI's first championship game of the season against Warwickshire with a place inPaul Terry's 12-man squad.

Simon Katich is expected to partner Michael Brown at the top of the order, while Richard Logan has made way for Billy Taylor.

Hampshire (from): Katich, Brown, Crawley, Pietersen, Pothas, Ervine, Lamb, Mascarenhas, Warne, Udal, Tremlett, Taylor.