SHANE WARNE announced his retirement from Test cricket today - as revealed in yesterday's SportTimes - having admitted he would have carried on playing until Australia regained the Ashes.

The 37-year-old leg-spinner ended speculation by confirming the worst-kept secret in cricket by confirming he'd end his staggering Test career after the final Ashes Test in Sydney.

By then he should have added to a stunning tally of 699 wickets from 143 Tests and an amazing haul of 186 wickets from 34 Ashes contests and ensured his place as the greatest bowler in history.

But an upbeat Warne claimed he would have continued his long career had England retained the Ashes.

"I probably would have retired in 2005 had we won and there was a burning ambition in the team to win the Ashes back," he said.

"I saw how much we all hurt after that series and it is my eighth series against England and I've only lost one.

"It was a mission of mine, no matter how long it took to get that urn back. I think you can tell by the way we've played this series and the way I've gone out there and bowled that I've been pretty determined.

"It's been pretty hard work at times and the body will enjoy not playing after Sydney for a while. The back has been pretty stiff, but when the game's been on the line that's when we've been able to deliver."

Warne's announcement follows the shock retirement of Damien Martyn, while Glenn McGrath and Justin Langer are tipped to make similar decisions at the end of this series.

"I'm a happy man as it's been on my chest for a while," he admitted.

Meanwhile, Steve Harmison has announced his retirement from one-day internationals to coincide with the naming of England's squad for the triangular series against Australia and New Zealand.

Harmison was dropped for England's last one-day international against West Indies in the Champions Trophy.