HAMPSHIRE chairman Rod Bransgrove added his congratulations to close friend Shane Warne on his record-breaking achievements and confessed: "Perhaps the year off did him some good!"

The Rose Bowl chief was speaking in the wake of yesterday's milestone in Chennai when Warne leapt above Muttiah Muralitharan into pole position in the world Test wicket-taking record books.

Warne's history-making moment came when Irfan Pathan was caught by ex-Hampshire star Matthew Hayden - the Australian leg-spinning legend's 533rd wicket in his 114th Test

Warne, below, who ended with 3-92, also had centurion Virender Sehwag caught by last summer's Hampshire colleague Michael Clarke as India ended the second day on 291-6 - a lead of 56.

Bransgrove said: "It was fantastic news.

"I now regard Shane as a Hampshire man and everyone in Hampshire should be thrilled.

"Shane is now the unequivocal world champion and I'm sure getting the record will make him bowl with a lot more freedom."

Warne has been in inspirational form for both Australia and Hampshire since coming back from a one-year suspension imposed for drug-taking prior to the 2003 World Cup.

Bransgrove said: "Shane looks as if he can go on for a few more years yet. With the benefit of hindsight it looks as if the year off did him some good, though I'm sure he wouldn't have chosen it that way!"