IT HAS taken 11 years for the web circle to close and the Spider to end up where he started.

And who'll be waiting for Alan Mullally next summer None other than his old teammate, Shane Warne. It's possibly stretching a point to call Spider and the Spinner old muckers, but the convoluted paths of cricket saw them play together in 1990 in Victoria, and they won't be complete strangers when they trot out together to play for Hampshire next season.

It was just one game, and back then they were both young thrusters trying to make their way in the game.

"I played one game with Shane in 1990 for Victoria," recalls Mullally who was back in Australia after running out of patience for a TCCB decision on his eligibility.

Mullally had joined Hampshire 11 years ago and played one first-class game at Oxford University for them but, despite being born in Southend, Mullally's Australian upbringing meant the then TCCB had to decide on the question of his nationality.

"At that time, Malcolm Marshall was in his pomp here at Hampshire and they wouldn't have taken me on as an overseas player.

"It all got a bit frustrating waiting for the decision so I went back to Perth. While I was there former Australian captain Bill Lawry invited me over to Melbourne to play for Victoria."

Ironically, Mullally's English heritage posed problems for him at Melbourne.

"At that time there was the controversy surrounding Martin McCague and whether he was going to play for England or Australia. I had always said I wanted to play for England and I don't think Victoria wanted to become embroiled in the situation of having another Martin McCague, somebody brought up in Australia who wanted to play for England. I don't think I was a true blue Aussie enough for them.

"They promised me seven games but I only played in one. But in that one game, I played with Shane Warne, who had just got into the side himself."

The prospect of playing with Warne - as Mullally puts it: "The chance to look back in 20 years time and say you have played with one of the greatest cricketers of all time" - was one of the offerings that drew him back to Hampshire.

That and a new challenge.

Professional sportsmen trot out a lot of nonsense about a challenge, but pace bowlers more than anyone, probably need the galvanising effect of a new challenge to keep the batteries charged and to stop their game becoming an act of running in and turning the arm over.

"I haven't enjoyed my cricket for the past 18 months at Leicestershire, even though they have been the best months of my career in terms of form.

"A lot of the players I grew up with like Gordon Parsons and James Whitaker had left and I thought it was time to move.

"It couldn't have worked out better really. The one county I wanted to play for was Hampshire," says Mullally who said he hadn't spoken to any others.

"Robin Smith was on the phone to me as soon as it was announced I was leaving Leicestershire. "The contract was sorted out in five minutes out in the middle with him, and here I am.

"I turned down a benefit to leave. I didn't want to dwindle on being unhappy and retire from cricket with bitter memories."

Ironically, the better Mullally performs, the less Hampshire are likely to see of him as he becomes a crucial part of the England attack, but Mullally says: "I think supporters would rather see their side win a one-day competition than see five or six of their players in the Test side.

"I know the Southampton wicket has been tough for pace bowlers but that won't matter. I can swing the ball and Warnie can turn it on a sheet of glass."

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