Australia back in training

SYDNEY, Dec 22 (Reuters) Australia's cricketers were back in training today after taking three days off to celebrate their Ashes triumph and digest the news that bowler Shane Warne was retiring.

The players flew into Melbourne from their home cities and immediately began preparing for the fourth test against England, starting on Tuesday.

With the series already decided after Australia won the first three tests, the past three days has been dominated by Warne's retirement and speculation that other senior players, including fast bowler Glenn McGrath and opening batsman Justin Langer, were also on the verge of quitting.

Warne secretly told his team mates after they wrapped up the third test in Perth on Monday that he was planning to pull up stumps after the final test in Sydney, but the players were still coming to terms with the realisation when they reconvened in Melbourne.

''I think I was a bit shocked, a bit saddened like everybody else was, not that he made the decision because he'd obviously thought long and hard about wanting to retire,'' Australian captain Ricky Ponting told reporters.

''But because of the fact I played with him for so long and he's a really good friend of mine and I've learned a lot from him about the game.

''Whenever you lose someone you've been close to for a long period of time it's sad.'' CONTINUING SPECULATION Vice-captain Adam Gilchrist, one of five players in the team aged 35 or older, said Warne's decision had turned the focus on the rest of Australia's older players but he was not planning to retire soon.

''It's fair to say there's probably a group of us considering where we're at and what further part cricket's got to play in our lives but not to the point where it's a real sit-down decision-making time,'' Gilchrist said.

''The time comes to you and it will really reveal itself when it is the right time and I certainly don't feel that's the case at the moment.'' Coach John Buchanan said he was keen to get the team's mind back on the job of winning after the distraction of Warne's retirement and continuing speculation about other players.

''That's something we will talk about at training, dealing with the distractions that will continue over the next two test matches, and really try to finish on a high note,'' he said.

''Our mission here is not only to win the Ashes but also establish a huge gap between us and England.'' Ponting said Warne's retirement would reinforce Australia's determination to complete their first 5-0 Ashes sweep since the 1920s.

''We want to win the next two games and it would be a fitting end for Shane if we did that and that's the way we've got to approach these next two,'' Ponting said.

''I think we owe it to ourselves and we owe it to the fans around Australia to make sure that we aren't any more relaxed.'' Reuters PM RS1453