London, August 26: Shane Warne said he was proud to be a standard bearer for spin bowling after becoming the first slow bowler in history to take 400 Test wickets on a sweltering third day of the fifth Ashes Test here at The Oval on Saturday.

"I like to think I've played my part in spin bowling. Myself, Saqlain Mushtaq, Anil Kumble and Muttiah Muralitharan have shown that the spinner can be an important part of the team.

"Fast bowling is sensational but a spinner tests all the batsman's skills," added the 31-year-old leg spinner, who took his 400th test wicket when he had England wicketkeeper Alec Stewart caught behind for 29.

West Indian fast bowler Courtney Walsh (519) is the only player with 500 or more Test wickets but Warne said that was not a target he was aiming for. "I'm not really into milestones. There nice when you get them and you can give yourself a pat on the back."

"But the important thing is to have the desire to want to play Test cricket," added Warne, who also said he had no idea how long his career would last.

England finished on 409 for eight with Surrey batsman Mark Ramprakash 124 not out on his home ground, just 33 short of avoiding the follow on, Warne doing the bulk of the damage with six for 155.

But the master spinner, whose 400 and 401st Test wickets came in two balls, was critical of his own performance. "I tried to bowl too many 'glory cherries' out there. When they did not come off and that led to frustration and I lost concentration.

"But England fought back like a good Test which is what we've always said they are."

Australia lead the five match series 3-1 and Warne added that another victory was within their grasp here.

"We're in a very strong position. There's so much time left in the game, 180 overs at the least. If we can't bowl England out twice in that time we probably don't deserve to win the game."

Warne said he was not sure if Australia captain Stephen Waugh would enforce the follow on if the opportunity arose. "The batsman will want us to bowl and the bowlers will want to bat. But whatever decision Stephen makes will be the right one."

Ramprakash, who admitted he had "thought long and hard about my future in the game," after an unsuccessful experiment as an England opening batsman last year, said his side were now "tantalisingly close" to avoiding the follow on.

But the former Middlesex captain, who switched to their arch London rivals at the start of this season, added: "I don't think the game is safe (for a draw) at all. Shane Warne is very difficult to play for anybody let alone a lower order batsman.

"But Darren (Gough, England's number 10 and 17 not out) has coped very well and played some great shots off Glenn McGrath. If there's anything to hit we'll try to hit it. We've just got to take every run."