HAMPSHIRE cricket chairman Rod Bransgrove has admitted that Shane Warne is unlikely to be the club's only Australian import for 2003.

Bransgrove produced a major coup back in September when he announced that Warne was returning to the county next summer after a successful 2000 campaign.

And he confessed that another Australian is now top of Hampshire's 2003 shopping list.

"We are looking at bringing in a second Australian as our second overseas player next year," he confirmed, though he would not say whether the targeted player was a batsman or a bowler.

Bransgrove insists the Australian attitude towards sport is something he wants to see more of at The Rose Bowl.

In the last few years Australia have won the World Cup at cricket, rugby union and rugby league, and in the summer again dominated the Commonwealth Games medal charts.

In addition, Lleyton Hewitt won Wimbledon for the first time and even Tony David lifted the World Darts title!

"Australians are such good sporting role models - they lead by example," Bransgrove said.

"We're lucky to have already got Shane Warne coming back, and in Alan Mullally and Dimi Mascharenhas we have two more that have played a lot of cricket in Australia.

"That's' why we send players over there each winter - the likes of Derek Kenway and Alex Morris.

"Paul Terry has added a more robust side to his character since he's been out there."

Bransgrove added: "Australia are obviously doing something right. Whether it's with the amount of cricket they play or with the development of their players, I don't know.

"I'm sure that if Graeme Hick or Mark Ramprakash had been Australian their Test records would have been a lot better.

"It's amazing the players they produce. Look at the 30 they've named in their provisional World Cup squad - there's no place for the two Waughs, Michael Slater, Matthew Elliott, Martin Love, Simon Katich, Jamie Cox ...

"It seems the Australian culture is built around doing well in sport. I'm sure there is no such thing as an honourable defeat in the Australian sporting language.

"There's no embarrassment in winning in Australia. They totally believe that it's okay to play hard to win."

He continued: "We want an Australian attitude at this club. We don't want to be a cinderella club - we want to be up there challenging for trophies."

New Hampshire managing director Nick Pike echoed his chairman's thoughts.

"There are two sides to Australian cricketers - they are heroes and they are people who deliver," he admitted. "We are not just looking for 'trophy' players, we need players who will contribute and who will deliver.

"We have always had overseas players like that - Barry Richards, Malcolm Marshall, Gordon Greenidge.

"This is the entertainment business, and we need entertainers.

"Look at Australians who play in county cricket - the likes of Mike Hussey. You never see people like that coming along just for the ride."

Warne's former international colleague Mark Waugh has been linked with a move to Hampshire in some Australian newspapers.

But the county rubbished those rumours back in October.

Bransgrove, meanwhile, said Hampshire might be in a position to unveil their new signing within a fortnight.

The new man would be the third newcomer since September, with former England seamer Ed Giddins joining Warne last month.

It would also mean no place at county in 2003 for Zimbabwean all-rounder Neil Johnson, last summer's overseas player.