Shane Warne could return to Hampshire as one of TWO overseas players next season.

Hampshire cricket chairman Rod Bransgrove voted in favour of allowing counties to play an extra overseas player when he attended the First Class Forum at Lord's this week.

The recommendation was ratified by the England and Wales Cricket Board and that could help pave the way for Warne to return to Hampshire three years after his only season with the county.

"Every county will be allowed to register and play up to two overseas players which obviously enables us to create a greater star profile," said Bransgrove.

Bransgrove met up with Warne and the legendary leg spinner's parents in Cape Town last month, where the 32-year-old helped Australia to a four-wicket win in his 100th Test match.

"Shane spoke about Hampshire about 95 per cent of the time," added Bransgrove. "Very rarely does a week go by without hearing from him. He's always asking how things are going with the pavilion, how the signings are settling and how the boys are feeling. He takes a tremendous interest.

"He's not one of these players who's elevated to international status and then forgets his roots. He still visits his old Aussie Rules football club St Kilda when he's at home in Melbourne because that's the kind of loyalty you get from someone like Shane Warne.

"I hope one day there will be the opportunity for him to come back to what I like to call his UK home in Hampshire.

"He's coming back with his old mucker Merv Hughes this July to help Shaun Udal with his benefit and that's another demonstration of his commitment to his friends in Hampshire as he calls them. He's always been a cricket hero of mine but he's actually become a very good friend.

"He's a totally committed enthusiast to his sport and has lost a lot of weight on the advice of his father, which has probably prolonged his Test career by three years."

Current overseas star Neil Johnson arrived back from South Africa yesterday and will be encouraged by the news as his contract with Hampshire expires at the end of the season.

"Who knows what could happen next year," added Bransgrove. "There are all kinds of mouth-watering prospects but the earliest we can assess what player or players we need is at the end of the season.

"At the moment we may have 16 players competing for 11 places. That's a lovely problem to have and we may get to the end of the season and decide that there's no need for change."

Bransgrove, who attended the Forum with former chief executive Tony Baker, also backed the move to reinvent the Benson and Hedges Cup as a 20 overs-a-side competition.

He added: " "I'm very excited about the 20-over format. I believe it will bring people back into cricket and we'll all have a lot of fun with it."