It is gearing up to be the biggest row between an Australian and the passionate cricket fans of Pakistan since Darrell Hair told Inzamam-ul-Haq to stop sulking and take the field at the Brit Oval last summer. Shane Warne’s list of his top 50 cricketers has attracted howls of protest after he placed Waqar Younis in a lowly 45th place. Of the dozens of comments left on Times Online, more than half complained that Warne placed the toe-crusher from Vehari, the man with the best strike-rate of any bowler to have taken 200 Test wickets, lower on his list than the likes of Stephen Harmison and Bruce Reid.

“Waqar at his peak would have made even Bradman look like a novice, Warne’s just jealous, like most Aussies, that they didn’t produce a bowler of Waqar’s calibre,” Saad, from London, wrote, which may raise chortles in the McGrath household.

Perhaps tempers will be calmed by Warne’s selection of three Pakistan players today. Those who suggest that Warne’s top ten will be full of his mates may also reflect on him placing Steve Waugh, who captained Australia to 15 consecutive wins, at No 26.

There are many bones of contention (Tim May higher than Michael Vaughan for goodness sake!) but this is a personal list and Warne can choose whom he wishes. After all, he is the one who will meet frosty silence from Kevin Pietersen in the Rose Bowl dressing-room after placing his Hampshire teammate at No 30.

And who will be Warne’s greatest cricketer, to be revealed on Saturday? Ricky Ponting? Brian Lara? Ashley Giles? Maybe to placate Pakistani readers he will go for Wasim Akram, although several comments on Times Online speculate that Warne will name himself. Surely not.

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