Warne raises bar, takes 700th Test wicket

Shane Warne captured his 700th Test wicket to roaring home-town acclaim as Australia took a grip on the fourth Ashes Test against England on the opening day at the Melbourne Cricket Ground today.

The master leg-spinner, who was given a standing ovation by the near-capacity crowd as he came into the attack in the 41st over, bowled opener Andrew Strauss for 50 to become the first bowler in Test history to take 700 wickets.

Warne, who has announced he is retiring from Test cricket after the last two Tests of this series, produced a signature leg-break to knock over Strauss' middle-stump and ignite wild celebrations in the crowd.

Warne, 37, is playing in his 144th Test and has been acclaimed as one of the all-time cricketing greats, having revolutionised the art of wrist-spin bowling.

Warne's dismissal of Strauss left England struggling at 117 for four off 52 overs at tea after winning the toss with Kevin Pietersen not out three and captain Andrew Flintoff on 13. Warne had 1-21 off six overs.

England lost two wickets with their score on 101 with Paul Collingwood (28) hitting a thick edge to a Brett Lee rearer and Ricky Ponting taking an instinctive head-high catch at second slip, before Strauss followed in the next over.

Both Collingwood and Strauss had been earlier beneficiaries of dropped catches with Collingwood put down by wicketkeeper Adam Gilchrist on two and Strauss grassed in a straight-forward two-handed chance for Matthew Hayden in the gully on 41. (AFP)