KANDY, Sept 8 (Internet report): The spinners' showdown lor a place in the first Test, beginning here tomorrow, has become a no-contest. Shane Warne will resurrect his career.

Stuart MacGill, the most successful spinner in Test cricket these past 12 months, will be forced back into a shadow which may envelop him for quite some time.

There was always going to be room for only one of these exciting tweakers after the failed two leg-spinner experiment in the West Indies and coach Geoff Marsh left no doubt it would be Warne.

"Shane’s bowled very well," Marsh said, stating the obvious after the match against a Sri Lankan Board XI.

Warmed up by the one-day series, Warne claimed 2-37 from 19 overs and 3-74 from 16.1. This compared with an under-prepared MacGill's 2-42 from 13.3 and 0-54 from 13.

If anything, Warne was unlucky he did not get more wickets.

Stronger and leaner after a solid program following his disappointing West Indian tour. Warne is delighted with his progress. He has not felt so good for years.

While there must be some reservations until he shows his wares again in a Test, particularly against good players of spin like the Sri Lankans, it appears that the main thing Warne needed was time for his right shoulder to recover from last year’s major operation.

That is not to say Warne was rushed back too early. Given his record as the most successful spinner in history the selectors rightly showed faith in him.

Equally. Warne's dropping for the last Test in the West Indies may have been a blessing. Certainly it helped refocus his mind. He could take nothing for granted.