Russell, 35, made the announcement in Dhaka where he played his final match in the one-day Wills International Cup against South Africa on Sunday.

Russell, who made his Test debut against Sri Lanka in 1988, played 54 Tests for England. He said he made his decision after he was left out of the party for the current Ashes tour of Australia.

Taylor postpones his

SYDNEY: Australian cricket captain Mark Taylor said today he had postponed any plans to retire from Test cricket in the wake of his team's historic series victory over Pakistan and his own stunning form.

Speaking on Australian radio today after leading Australia to their first series win in Pakistan for 39 years, Taylor said he had no intention of stepping down.

``I've had a very good series myself,'' Taylor told ABC radio. ``If that keeps continuing, well I'll keep playing for Australia.''

Aiding the`old enemy'

PERTH: Former Australian leg-spinner Peter Philpott yesterday began one of cricket's toughest assignments -- working with England's batsmen to try to remove the mystique surrounding Shane Warne's bowling.

Wearing an England tracksuit and insisting he felt completely comfortable in the camp of the `old enemy', Philpott outlined the strategy he hopes will equip the English batsmen to handle Warne's devastating leg-spin in the five-Test Ashes series.

Philpott, 63, who has coached the Sri Lanka and New Zealand national squads as well as first-class sides in England and South Africa, said the main plank in his approach to demystifying Warne would be to teach the batsmen the basics of bowling leg-spin.

He said the first session would be held behind closed doors in the indoor nets at the WACA here today -- a move sought by England manager Graham Gooch and bound to fan speculation that English batsmen remain paranoid about Warne.