cricket'S biggest star is reported to be on the verge of moving to play for Hampshire.

The county cricket club is currently in talks about signing Shane Warne - regarded as the world's greatest spin bowler.

Preliminary discussions have already taken place between the club and Warne - the Australian who has been the scourge of English batsmen for years.

Warne's signature for next season would be a massive coup for the club, which moves into a new £17 million studium at West End in 2001.

The bowler wants to test himself against the demands of a season of English championship.

Although rumours have been rife within the county for some time, Hampshire coaching admininstrator Tim Tremlett confirmed today: "We have spoken to him. He's a player who interests us greatly and the situation at the moment is that we have had pre-liminary talks with him, although currently it hasn't gone any further than that."

Warne could initially come for one season as current overseas player Nixon McLean's contract ends at the end of this campaign and Hampshire feel he is in line for a recall to the West Indies squad touring England next summer.

One major stumbling block would be Warne's wage bill.

He would want a wage in the region of £150,000 a year, currently way out of Hampshire's range, and Tremlett confirmed: "We would have to cross that bridge if we come to it."

But under Robin Smith's thrusting captaincy, Hampshire are showing the sort of ambition they have been accused of lacking in the past.

Next season will be their last at the creaking Northlands Road ground before moving to their spanking-new HQ at West End and Smith certainly wants their ambitions on the field to match their ambitions off it.

Smith may have been able to convince the Hampshire hierarchy that his business links would be prepared to stump up the money for Warne's salary. Hampshire would need to get in quick as the other counties would scramble for his services.

Warne is the biggest name in world cricket after virtually reviving the art of spin-bowling single-handedly. He smashed all records as the fastest ever spinner to take 300 Test wickets.

Converted for the new archive on 25 January 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.