SHANE Warne has vowed to be on his best behaviour during the championship showdown against rivals Sussex.

Warne has ony ever played at Arundel in pre-Ashes warm ups but Hampshire's match against champions Sussex this week is unlikely to be as friendly.

If recent meetings are anything to go by, it will be as intense as anything Warne will be involved in now that he has retired from Test cricket.

And Hampshire's captain has to be doubly careful now that he has a six-point penalty for his show of dissent and bad language on being given out lbw against Kent two weeks ago.

After becoming the first player to be handed six penalty points by the England and Wales Cricket Board, Warne is only one more offence away from an unprecedented two-match ban.

However, he has taken his punishment with little complaint.

He said: "If I behave I'll be fine but at the end of the day I was out of order.

"I shouldn't have reacted that way but I was just disappointed to be given out at such a crucial time."

See today's Daily Echo for the full story.