MELBOURNE, Australia, Sept 8 (AFP/ Internet): Injured leg-spinner Shane Warne -..zzu said Tuesday ex pects to play in the first Ashes Test against England in November.

The healing of his reconstructed shoulder was ahead of schedule and he plans to test it in Sheffield Shield matches starting next month, he said.

Just a few weeks ago Warne said at a sports function there

was a danger he may never play again but he told reporters Tuesday it was now a matter of when, not if.

"At the physio over the last couple of weeks I've shown some good progress and at this stage Fm aiming for the first Shield Same." he said at the launch of le Victorian season.

Warne. Australia's second greatest wicket-taker with 313 victims in 67 Tests, was reappointed Victorian captain with wicket-keeper Darren Berry his deputy.

He has made himself unavailable for Australia's tour of Pakistan starting on September 23 but said he was aiming to make his Test comeback against England in Brisbane on November 24.

He said he needed to play the Shield games in the lead-up to gauge how his shoulder was recovering.

"You have to get confidence, you have to be able to have a few games, see how you pull up the next day. whether you can go back-to-back." he said.

"At this stage I'm hopeful of playing the first Shield game and If it means I can play two or three Shield games back-to-back and pull up okay I'll be available for the first Test."

Warne said with a "brand new shoulder"' his bowling action should be better than ever.