Shane Warne dug deep into a bag of tricks he's accumulated over 15 years in Test cricket and produced almost the full repertoire on what will likely be his next-to-last day in the international arena.
He slogged his way to 71, Australia's top individual score in a 393-run first innings, with two sixes and nine boundaries, sledged England rival Paul Collingwood and then had opposition captain Andrew Flintoff out stumped 10 balls before the end of play.
To that, he threw in a bit of gamesmanship, some big appeals and a believable show of indifference when he himself might have been out, caught behind off his glove for 10.
That was Warne's way of saying he won't have any regrets once he retires. It has been the hallmark of his 145-test career.
Australia started the third day of the fifth Test at 188 for four yesterday, still 103 runs behind on the first innings, took a 102-run lead and then picked off five of the top six batsmen to have England reeling at 114 for five.
"I was buzzing when I went out there and I hit a four and a six off the first two balls and I thought `here we go,'" the 37-year-old legspinner said. "I thoroughly enjoyed it, I had a lot of fun."
"Obviously it would have been a dream to get a hundred, whoever's been writing my scripts this summer has been on fire, but I didn't really think I could get a hundred," he said.
Warne's top score in Test cricket is 99 -- a Test century is the only major milestone he will not achieve.
The English were convinced Warne was out in the first over he faced, appealing for caught behind off Monty Panesar, but umpire Aleem Dar ruled not out.
"It might have been out -- then again, it might not have been out," Warne told a news conference.
The decision provoked some exchanges between Warne, a master at the verbal taunting and mindgames that Australians call sledging, and Collingwood.
"We spoke about a different array of things. I thought it was all in fun -- a bit of jest," Warne said. "I was letting him know my thoughts and that was making me concentrate and making me more determined."
Warne said there would be no sadness on his part today, although there would be some reminiscing with longtime teammates Glenn McGrath and Justin Langer after all three have finished off their Test careers.
"I won't be sad tomorrow [today]. I might be a little bit reflective sitting in the dressing room with a cold beer but I won't be crying or anything because my body's telling me its time to go, I know that for sure," he said.
"To get 700 [wickets], a few thousands runs, a hundred catches, a hundred odd Tests. I couldn't have asked for my career to go any better," Warne said.
Warne had his detractors during a long career, when he frequently made tabloid headlines in off-field scandals. But he has always produced when it counted on the field for Australia.
"I like to think I've repaid everyone with what I've brought to cricket," he said. "I like to think I've made it entertaining, I've made it cool."
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