Shane Warne
 

Shane Warne
 Facts in Brief
 
In 2000, Warne was named by a 100 member panel of experts as the fourth of five Wisden Cricketers of the Century.  Warne received 27 votes, behind Sir Donald Bradman (100 votes), Sir Garfield Sobers (90 votes), and Sir Jack Hobbs (30 votes).  Sir Viv Richards took fifth place, with 25 votes. Warne was the only bowler in the group and the only one who has not been knighted.
 
In March 2000, Warne became Australia's highest-ever Test wicket taker by passing Dennis Lillee's milestone of 355 in the First Test against New Zealand.
 
In 2000, Warne joined Hampshire in the English County Championship.
 
In 2000, during his first year of county cricket with Hampshire, Warne was accused of sending "disgusting" phone messages to a 22-year-old nurse he had met in a night club.  Warne lost the Australian vice-captaincy as a result and was subsequently overlooked for the captaincy proper when Steve Waugh retired in 2004.
 
Warne was honoured with selection in Australia's Test Team of the Century in 2000.
 


He took 708 wickets during his Test career & celebrated every one.
 
Warne clashed with a young fan in New Zealand after being photographed smoking.  Warne was promoting an anti-smoking product at the time.
 
Warne was named the Australian ODI player of the year in 2000.
 
Shane took his 400th Test wicket when he dismissed Alec Stewart in the 5th Test against England at Kensington Oval, London on 25th August 2001. It was Shane's 92nd Test match.
 
In 2002, Warne made his highest Test score of 99 against New Zealand in Perth. On that occasion, Warne attempted to bring up what would have been his maiden century with a pull shot off Daniel Vettori, but succeeded only in holing out in the deep to Mark Richardson. Television replays would later show that the ball was in fact a no-ball.
 
Warne has the unique distinction of having scored the most runs in Test cricket without scoring a century.
 


Not a good look!
 
In 2001, Warne took 31 wickets as Australia retained the Ashes with a 4-1 series win over England. In the final Test of that series, Warne took 11-229 at the Oval.
 
Warne scored his 2000th run in Test cricket in the 2nd Test against South Africa at Newlands, Cape Town on 9th March 2002. It was Shane's 100th Test match.
 
In October 2002, Warne was named Man of the Series as Australia recorded a 3-0 win in Pakistan. Warne took 27 wickets in that series and easily beat the Australian record for most wickets in a three-Test series, previously held by Dennis Lillee and Richie Benaud with 23.
 
Shane scored his 1000th run in ODI cricket in a match against England at the MCG on 15 December 2002.  It was Shane's 191st ODI match.
 
In late 2002, Warne announced he would retire from one-day cricket after the 2003 World Cup.
 


Warne's 100th Test
v Sth Africa, March 2002
Scored 63 no & 15 no
Took 2/70 & 6/161
Named Man of the Match
 
Warne dislocated his right shoulder diving to stop a ball in an ODI match at the MCG against England on 15th December 2002. As a result, he missed six matches in the 2002/03 VB Series and the fourth and fifth Orange Test matches against England. Warne returned for the first final of the VB Series in Sydney on 23rd January 2003.
 
After his miraculous recovery Warne later joined the Australian ODI team for the World Cup in South Africa in 2003.
 
Shane Warne  was forced to pull out of the 2003 World Cup, after testing positive for the banned substances hydrochlorothiazide and amiloride. He was handed a twelve month ban by the Australian Cricket Board's anti-doping unit. The diuretic found in his system could have been used as a masking agent for steroids, but Warne maintained that his mother had given him a pill to make him look slimmer on television.
 
In August 2003, South African Helen Cohen Alon accused him of bombarding her with suggestive text messages. Not long after, married Melbourne stripper Angela Gallagher revealed she had a three-month relationship with Warne.
 
Warne was overlooked for the Australian Test captaincy when Steve Waugh retired in early 2004.  Warne's off-field indiscretions were the major factor. Warne will no doubt be considered the best captain Australia never had.
 


Dark moment: Warne issues a statement after his suspension for a year.
 
Warne made his comeback from suspension on February 10, 2004. He played for the Victoria second XI against a team from the Queensland Academy of Sport.
 
Shortly after, on February 20, 2004, Warne was recalled to Australia's Test squad to tour Sri Lanka.
 
In March 2004, Warne took 5/116 and 5/43 against Sri Lanka in his first Test back from suspension. In that match, Shane took his 500th Test wicket when he dismissed Hashan Tillekeratne on 12 March 2004.  It was Shane's 108th Test match.
 
Warne was only the second player to achieve 500 Test wickets. Courtney Walsh of the West Indies was first to achieve the feat.  Muttiah Muralitharan would join the group 4 days later on 16th March 2004.
 
After his suspension, Warne came back stronger than ever. In the 11 years before the ban, he took 491 wickets at an average of 4.59 per Test. In the three years after, he took 208 wickets at an average of 5.78 per match.
 


Warne was presented with his 100th Test cap at a special ceremony at the MCG on Boxing Day 2002. Warne was out of the 4th Test against England with a shoulder injury.
 
On July 13th 2004,  Warne claimed four wickets on the final day of the second Test against Sri Lanka in Cairns to equal Muttiah Muralitharan's Test record of 527 wickets.
 
Finally, in October 2004, Warne became the leading Test wicket-taker of all time, when he took his 532nd victim during the Second Test against India at Chennai. Warne passed his great spin bowling rival, Muttiah Muralitharan of Sri Lanka.
 
In November 2004, Warne broke his thumb during a net session and missed the fourth Test against India at Mumbai.
 
In 2004, Warne was one of only two active Australian cricketers named in "Richie Benaud's Greatest Australian XI."  Adam Gilchrist was the other active player named in the team.
 
In January 2005, Warne made a one-off return to one-day internationals for the ICC World XI in the tsunami appeal game against an Asia XI.
 


A loveable larrikin in the nets
 


Typical pose

 
Warne took his 293rd and Final ODI wicket when he dismissed Mohammad Yousuf  in a match against an Asia IX at the MCG on 10 January 2005. It was Shane's 194th ODI match.
 
In May 2005, Warne scored his maiden first-class century when he made 107 for Hampshire against Kent in the County Championships.
 
In 2005, he secured his 1,000th first-class wicket while playing for Hampshire.
 
During the 2005 Ashes series in England, Warne took 40 Test wickets,16 more than any other bowler from either side.
 
In June 2005, after a woman claims to have had an affair with Warne, he splits with wife Simone after 10 years of marriage.
 


Unwanted headlines
 
In June 2005 Warne tried to save his trademark blonde hair by having replacement treatment at Advanced Hair Studio, whose other high profile spokesmen included former Test cricketers, Graham Gooch and Greg Matthews.
 
In July 2005, Warne lost his estimated $300,000 a year contract with Channel 9 after the station's owner, Kerry Packer decided Warne's off-field conduct would reflect badly on the company.
 
Warne took his 600th Test wicket when he dismissed Marcus Trescothick in the 3rd Test against England at Old Trafford, Manchester on 11 August 2005. It was Shane's 126th Test match.
 
In 2005, Warne was named as winner of the BBC Sports Personality of the Year, Overseas Personality for his performance in the Ashes series.
 
On December 17 2005, Warne broke Dennis Lillee's 24-year-old record of 85 Test wickets in a calendar year when he dismissed Ashwell Prince (South Africa) lbw in Perth. Warne finished 2005 with 96 dismissals.
 


Warne passed Dennis Lillee's 24-year record of 85 Test wickets in a calendar year after taking Ashwell Prince's wicket in Perth in 2005
 
In February 2006, Warne was named Australian Test player of the year (2005) at the Allan Border Medal awards night.
 
The 37-year-old leg-spin bowler ended all speculation and officially called time on his remarkable career as an Australia player at 12.40pm December 21st 2006.  His retirement took effect at the SCG in January 2007, immediately after the Ashes series against England.
 
On December 18 2006, Warne took the final wicket, his 699th in Tests, to win back the Ashes for Australia at Perth. 
 
Shane took his 700th Test wicket when he dismissed Andrew Strauss in the 4th Test against England at the MCG on 26th December 2006. It was Shane's 144th Test match.
 
In 2006 he was awarded an honorary doctorate from Southampton Solent University for services to cricket.
 


Australia lost the Ashes in 2005 but Warne was outstanding. He took 40 Test wickets ( Ave. 19.92) in the series and scored 249 runs (Ave. 27.66).
 
In 2006, Warne and Glenn McGrath were believed to have lost a bet with fellow Australian bowler Jason Gillespie, after Gillespie scored a record double century as a night-watchman against Bangladesh. The bet was reported to be about which of the players would  be first to score a Test century.
 
Shane scored his 3000th run in Test cricket in the 2nd Test against England at Adelaide Oval on 4th December 2006. It was Shane's 142nd Test match.
 
Warne took his 708th and final Test wicket when he dismissed Andrew Flintoff in the 5th Test against England at the SCG on 4th January 2007. It was Shane's 145th Test match.
 
Whilst batting in Test matches, Warne was dismissed most by Daniel Vettori (9) and Ian Bishop (8). He was caught 127 times (70%), lbw 30 times (16%), bowled 12 times (7%), run out 6 times (3%), stumped 6 times (3%) and hit wicket 1 time (1%).
 
In Test matches, Warne dismissed the following players the most: Alec Stewart (14), Nasser Hussain (11), Ashwell Prince (11) and Mike Atherton (10).
 


Test wicket No. 700
4th Test vs England
M.C.G. Dec. 26th 2006
 
Warne took his wickets in Test matches by the following means: caught 418 (59.04%), lbw 138 (19.49%), bowled 116 (16.38%) and stumped 36 (5.08%).
 
In ODIs, Warne was dismissed by the following players the most: Shaun Pollock (4), Chris Cairns (3), Shahid Afridi (3), Chaminda Vaas (3), Venkatesh Prasad (3) and Anil Kumble (3).
 
In ODIs, Warne dismissed the following players the most: Daryll Cullinan (8), Hansie Cronje (7), Jonty Rhodes, Inzamam-ul-Haq, Craig McMillan (6).
 
Warne took his wickets in ODI matches by the following means: caught 145 (49%), stumped 50 (17%), bowled 49 (17%), lbw 48 (16%) and hit wicket 1 (0%).
 
Warne was the 350th capped Australian in Test cricket. His ODI cap number is 110.
 


One of Warne's great strengths was offering 'advice' to the opposition players
 
Shane launched his own wine collection in October 2002.
 
Shane Warne was named in the Australian Test Team of the Century.
 
Warne ended his Test career against England at the Sydney Cricket Ground, the same venue where his remarkable journey in international cricket began almost 15 years before against India.
 
Warne has taken 10 wickets in a match on 10 occasions which is the second most in history behind Sri Lankan rival Muttiah Muralitharan (19).
 
Warne has claimed five victims in an innings 36 times. Only Muralitharan (57) is ahead of Warne and New Zealand legend Richard Hadlee (also on 36) in the five wickets in an innings category.
 


How could any umpire resist?
 
Warne has nominated Brian Lara of West Indies and India's Sachin Tendulkar as the two best batsmen he played against.
 
Warne's dazzling array of deliveries over the years has included some personal inventions. Famed for his 'flipper' and leg-break, his arsenal was also bolstered by a handful of self-titled straight balls: a zooter, slider, toppoe and a back-spinner.
 
Warne said the biggest lows of his career were the 1996 World Cup loss and the one-run defeat against West Indies in 1992-93.
 
Warne has appeared on two episodes of the popular Australian soap Neighbours on behalf of his charitable foundation.
 
Warne is a huge fan of the St Kilda Football Club in the AFL.
 


Battle scars!
 
His childhood cricketing idols were Ian Botham, Viv Richards and Ian Chappell. He was also a great admirer of former Australia Test captain Allan Border.
 
One of his childhood AFL idols was Dermott  Brereton who wore an earring, dyed his hair blonde and drove a Ferrari.  Sound familiar?
 
Warne has indulged his passion for cars.  At one time he owned a Ferrari, two Mercedes four-wheel drives, two BMWs and a Holden VK Commodore. After his separation he sold his collection.
 
Of the 145 Test matches in which Warne played, Australia won 92, drew 27 and only lost 26.
 
Of the 193 ODIs in which Warne played for his country, Australia won 123, lost 65, Tied 3 and there was no result in 2 others.
 


The Warne charm
 
 

Part 2

The career of an exceptional athlete is not only measured by the great highlights and triumphs achieved along the way, but it is also defined by the way in which that athlete copes with the low-points that inevitably occur along the way.

It would be true to say that Shane Warne has experienced his fair share of highs and lows. And therein lies one of Warne's greatest talents. Throughout his entire career, Warne has always bounced back strongly from adversity. Whether it be injury, poor form or self inflicted damage caused by off-field indiscretions, Shane Warne has always answered his critics in the best way possible. He has turned it all around by performing exceptional feats on the field. This has invariably provided some of the most memorable performances in his career.

Two Magic Moments

Warne becomes leading Test  wicket-taker
Dismissed Irfan Pathan, October 2004

Warne captures Test wicket #500
vs Sri Lanka March 2004

Shane has made no secret of the fact that the two greatest Test matches in which he played were the 3rd Ashes Test against England in Adelaide in December 2006, and the 1st Test against Sri Lanka in Colombo in August 1992.

The Colombo Test was only Shane's 3rd Test appearance, and he went into the match with combined bowling figures of 1/228 from his first two appearances against India. When Australia was dismissed for 256 (Warne made 24), Sri Lanka replied with 8 declared for 547.  Once again, Shane failed to impress returning the disappointing figures of 0/107. Warne's career was very much at the cross-roads. His selection for any subsequent Test match was far from guaranteed.

Australia bounced back in the second innings scoring 471, of which Warne contributed a useful 35. However, with Sri Lanka only needing 181 runs  for victory, things looked very bleak for the Aussies, as Sri Lanka cruised to 0/76.  Then, with the help of magnificent bowling from Craig McDermott 2/43 and Greg Matthews 4/76, Australia forced its way back into the match. With Sri Lanka requiring less than 40 runs to win and three wickets still in hand, Australian skipper, Allan Border threw the ball to a very surprised Shane Warne. His one and only  previous over had yielded eleven runs. Nevertheless Border displayed great faith in his young spinner. And Warne responded superbly. With his last eleven balls, he took 3 for 0 and helped dismiss Sri Lanka for 164. It was a most unexpected victory for the Aussies by 16 runs. More importantly, it was the first time in his short Test career that Shane Warne realized two important facts. Firstly, he now believed he could make an impact at the Test level and secondly, for the first time, he began to


Shane Warne
feel part of the Australian Test team.  It was a special feeling!

The 2006 Adelaide Ashes Test came near the end of Warne's career. England won the toss and batted on a typical Adelaide track. Thanks to a double century from Paul Collingwood (206) and a century from Kevin Pietersen (158), England declared at 6 for 551. In reply, Australia lost three early wickets to be 3/62 when Ricky Ponting (142) and Michael Hussey (81) put on 192 for the fourth wicket. Further aided by a century from Michael Clarke, Australia managed a total of 513 to trail by 38 runs. When England batted again, there was little drama with the score at 1/69 early on the fifth and final morning. Up until that point, England led by 107 and had never, at any moment, looked in danger of losing the match. However, with contributions from Warne, Stuart Clark and Brett Lee, England slumped to a vulnerable score of 5/89 at lunch. After the long break, Warne and Australia continued to apply the pressure. Eventually, England was dismissed for a very feeble 129, with Warne contributing 4/49 off 32 magnificent overs.  This left Australia the task of scoring 168 from 36 overs at a run rate of 4.67 to secure a most improbable victory in the final few hours. Mike Hussey once again displayed his class and guided Australia to 4/168 with just 19 balls to spare. It was one of the most remarkable victories in the history of Test cricket.

Two More Great Moments

Shane Warne stands between the Waugh twins after Australia won the 1999 World Cup at Lords.

Warne celebrates one of his victims in taking 8/71 against England at the Gabba in November 1994.

Warne played in many memorable One Day International (ODI) matches during his career. He has stated on numerous occasions that his biggest disappointment was losing the 1996 World Cup Final. However, at the next World Cup held in England in 2003, Warne helped Australia lift the trophy, particularly with standout performances in the tied semi-final against South Africa and the final against Pakistan.

In the famous tied semi-final at Edgbaston, Australia batted first and were bowled out for 213 in 49.2 overs. Warne contributed a very useful 18 off 24 balls. In reply, South Africa were sensationally dismissed on the fourth ball of the final over when Allan Donald suffered a brain explosion and was run out with the scores tied at 213. Warne took the Man of the Match honours with 4/29 from his ten overs, and Australia qualified for the final against Pakistan.

The famous tied World Cup Semi Final on 17th June 1999 at Birmingham. Aussies celebrate as a dejected Allan Donald walks off the ground after being run out with the scores level. The tie put Australia through to the final in which they easily defeated Pakistan. Shane Warne was named Man of the Match in both of these finals.

In that final, Australia dominated the game and coasted to an easy victory by 8 wickets. Once again, Warne bowled magnificently to capture 4/33 from his 9 overs. Once again, he was named Man of the Match and the painful memories of 1996 were beginning to fade.

Among Shane Warne's many career highlights were the statistical milestones that occurred along the way. The following tables provide information about those milestones in both Test matches and ODIs.

Shane Warne: Career Milestones in Tests
Matches Runs Wkts Catches Age Year Player Dismissed
1 . 1 . 22 1992 Ravi Shastri (India)
14 . 50 . 23 1993 Nasser Hussain (Eng)
23 . 100 . 24 1993/94 Brian McMillan (Sth Africa)
31 . 150 . 25 1994/95 Alec Stewart (Eng)
42 . 200 . 26 1995/96 Chaminda Vaas (SL)
55 . 250 . 27 1997 Alec Stewart (Eng)
58 1000 . . 27 1997 N/A
63 . 300 . 28 1997/98 Jacques Kallis (Sth Africa)
70 . . 50 29 1998/99 Lincoln Roberts (WI)
80 . 350 . 30 1999/00 Hrishikesh Kanitkar (India)
92 . 400 . 31 2001 Alec Stewart (Eng)
100 2000 . . 32 2001/02 N/A
101 . 450 . 32 2001/02 Ashwell Prince (Sth Africa)
108 . 500 . 34 2003/04 Hashan Tillekeratne (SL)
116 . . 100 35 2004/05 Daniel Vettori (NZ)
117 . 550 . 35 2004/05 James Franklin (NZ)
126 . 600 . 35 2005 Marcus Trescothick (Eng)
133 . 650 . 36 2005/06 Ashwell Prince (Sth Africa)
142 3000 . . 37 2006/07 N/A
144 . 700 . 37 2006/07 Andrew Strauss (Eng)
145 3154 708 125 37 2006/07 Andrew Flintoff (Eng)
 
Shane Warne: Career Milestones in ODIs
Matches Runs Wkts Catches Age Year Player Dismissed
1 . 1 . 23 1992/93 Andrew Jones (NZ)
25 . 50 . 25 1994 Roshan Mahanama (SL)
60 . 100 . 27 1996/97 Junior Murray (WI)
94 . 150 . 28 1997/98 Chris Cairns (NZ)
125 . 200 . 29 1999 Moin Khan (Pak)
142 . . 50 30 1999/00 Chris Cairns (NZ)
161 . 250 . 31 2000/01 Vangipurappu Laxman (India)
191 1000 . . 33 2002/03 N/A
194 1018 293 80 35 2004/05 Mohammad Yousuf (Asia IX)
 

Shane seeks some divine intervention during a tough day at the office.

2005: Shane celebrates the wicket of Monty Panesar and the return of the Ashes.
 
Other highlights in Warne's remarkable career include:-

  • Warne is the only bowler in Wisden’s five greatest cricketers of the 20th century.

  • At the time of his retirement, Shane Warne held the World Record for most Test dismissals (708).

  • Warne is credited with bowling the "Ball of the Century" to dismiss Mike Gatting with his first ball in an Ashes Test.

  • His best performances came against England (195 wickets in 36 matches), Pakistan (90 wickets in 15 tests), South Africa (130 wickets in 24 tests) and New Zealand (103 wickets in 20 tests).

  • He also took 5 wickets in an innings 10 times against England.

  • In Test cricket, Warne was named Man of the Match 17 times. He was named Man of the Series on 8 occasions.

  • In ODIs, Warne won the Man of the Match award 12 times. In addition, he was Man of the Finals once and Man of the Preliminary Series on another occasion.
Two Great Career Moments

Warne captures the final wicket to secure Australia the 2006 series against South Africa in Durban.

Warne bowls Monty Panesar to capture his 699th wicket and reclaim the Ashes for Australia in Perth in 2006.

In addition to the Gatting "Ball of the Century", Warne delivered many other 'unplayable' balls.  Here is a selection of some of those gems. They are ranked in chronological order:-

  • Richie Richardson (1993: 2nd Test vs West Indies at MCG)
    It was a flipper that caught Richardson off guard and shot underneath his back foot defensive shot. Although he was 52 at the time he had no answer to Warne's magic. Warne went on to take six more victims and rout the West Indies.

  • Basit Ali (1995: 3rd Test vs Pakistan at SCG)
    With the last ball of play to be bowled on Day 3, Warne played mind games with the Pakistan middle order batsman. Warne held a mid-pitch conference with wicket-keeper Ian Healy. When Warne finally got to deliver a stock leg break to Basit Ali, the ball went between the batsman's legs and bowled him for 14.

  • Shivnarine Chanderpaul (1996: 2nd Test vs West Indies at MCG)
    Warne bowled the left hander with a delivery that pitched short and outside the off stump. Chanderpaul who was well set on 71, rocked back to smash the ball through backward point for another four. The ball suddenly turned at right angles, spun past the batsman's bat and body, and crashed into the leg stump. The wicket broke a century stand between Chanderpaul and Carl Hooper and set Australia on course for a final day victory.

  • Andrew Strauss (2005: 2nd Test vs England at Edgbaston)
    In the first innings, England was cruising at 0/112 with the left hander on 48. Warne bowled around the wicket to Strauss who shaped to cut the ball, but he was deceived by the flight. The ball spun from well outside the off stump and zeroed in on the batsman's leg stump as Strauss shuffled across his crease. Another perfect leggie !


Shane pictured with Muttiah Muralitharan at a press conference prior the ICC's fund-raiser for the Tsunami Appeal in Melbourne during 2005.  Muralitharan is the player most likely to surpass Warne's world record of 708 Test  victims.

Since Warne's announcement that he would retire after the Fifth Test in Sydney, tributes have poured in from people all over the world. Here is just a small collection of those quotes:-

 

"It's very hard to judge across eras but Warne would sit pretty comfortably as the second best player ever. The great Sir Donald Bradman is head and shoulders above the rest, but after that I think Warnie slots in pretty nicely."

Former Australian skipper, Steve Waugh

"The greatest single thing he did was after a long period of time when fast bowlers dominated the scene was to revive the ancient art of leg spin bowling and for those who love cricket, that was an enormous contribution in itself."

Australian Prime Minister, John Howard

"A lot of batsmen in world cricket will be delighted to learn he's leaving the game but I think the game will be poorer without him. He has been a match-winner, flamboyant and just incredible to watch. I've admired his skills over a long period of time."

Former New Zealand legend, Sir Richard Hadlee

"Thanks to him, there are many more leg spinners in the game. People talk about how much he has done for Australia, but he has done an awful lot for the sport as a whole."

Former England skipper, Mike Gatting

"He just has that capacity, unlike any other wrist spinner we've seen, to put the ball in the danger area ball after ball after ball.  His special talent has been to spin the ball and at the same time be accurate."

Warne's mentor and former spinner, Terry Jenner

"Whatever you say about Shane Warne it isn't enough. His performances have not only shaped cricket in Australia but worldwide. Most people go through a purple patch and Shane Warne has had a purple patch for 15 or 16 years."

Former Australian team-mate, Merv Hughes

"His presence on the cricket field has not only inspired Australian cricket teams but also made life very difficult for opposition teams. It's always a significant advantage to walk on the field with Shane Warne." 

Australian cricket coach, John Buchanan

"As a wicketkeeper there's no better spot to be than standing behind the stumps to Shane Warne at any time really. But when he's on song it's quite mesmerizing, so he brings a great deal of joy to me, just like everyone else sitting around watching. He makes us look good because he's so brilliant"

Australia's vice-captain, Adam Gilchrist

"I don't think anyone's done more than what he's done. On and off the field there's been areas of controversy, but statistically (he is) the greatest bowler that ever played. He was tough, very, very competitive but he had a cheeky streak about him"

New Zealand skipper, Stephen Fleming

"Not only is he a great bowler but he's also a great thinker. He got a lot of people out with wonderful deliveries but he also out-thought a lot."

Former Aussie skipper, Mark Taylor

"Warne was arguably the greatest bowler ever seen. He's certainly the greatest spin bowler I've seen. There's a purity about Warne's action that pleases most people who like cricket"

Journalist and former English player, Derek Pringle

"Warne was the greatest leg-spinner to ever play the game. You've got Bradman with the batting, you can throw in Lillee with the fast bowling, there are a couple of others there like Lindwall and Miller as a great all-rounder, but you would certainly have Warne right up there as one of the greatest Australians to ever step onto a field."

Former Aussie skipper, Richie Benaud

"You will never, ever be able to replace Shane Warne and the contribution that he's made to Australian cricket. Shane Warne is irreplaceable. There was a generation of Australians who were privileged to have seen Don Bradman play and we are the generation of Australians who were privileged to see Shane Warne play."

Cricket Australia CEO James Sutherland

"The Australia team will be much poorer without him, and so will the world of cricket."

Current Australian skipper, Ricky Ponting

"As a bowler Warne was a "captain's dream" with everything - skill, guile, mystery, control and, most importantly of all, the desire to compete. He is the ultimate competitor. At times his harassment of umpires and batsmen has overstepped the mark, but I would rather see a player react as he does than give in. "

Former England paceman, Angus Fraser

The Appealing Side of Shane Warne

Warne didn't get every appeal. Here Steve Bucknor turns down an LBW shout!

Shane not only 'set up' batsmen but he did exactly the same with umpires!

Shane Warne accomplished so much in his career. Here is a list of some of the honours, awards and achievements of his fantastic career:-

  • 1993-94:  Named International Cricketer of the Year.

  • Hat trick in Melbourne Test: Australia vs England on 26th December 1994. Victims were Philip DeFreitas, Darren Gough and Devon Malcolm.

  • Named Wisden Cricketer of the Year for 1994.

  • Chosen as one of the Five Wisden Cricketers of the Year for 1994.

  • In 1996, Warne was named as captain of Victoria.

  • In 1997 Warne was 2nd in the International Cricketer of the Year Award.

  • In 1997, he became the greatest spinner of all time after passing Lance Gibbs' total of 309 Test wickets.

  • Captain's Australian one-day side for first time, standing in for Steve Waugh in 1997.

  • Warne is named Man of the Match in Australia's World Cup final victory over Pakistan at Lords  in 1999 in England.

  • In 2000, Warne was named by a 100-member panel of experts as the fourth of five Wisden Cricketers of the Century. Warne received 27 votes, behind Sir Donald Bradman (100 votes), Sir Garfield Sobers (90 votes) and Sir Jack Hobbs (30 votes). Sir Viv Richards took the fifth place, with 25 votes. Warne was the only specialist bowler in the elite group.

  • On March 5th 2000, with the wicket of Paul Wiseman, Warne became Australia's highest-ever Test wicket-taker by passing Dennis Lillee's milestone of 355.

  • Selected in Australia's Team of the Century in 2000.

  • Won the Australian ODI player of the year in 2000.

  • On 14th October 2004, Warne became the leading Test wicket-taker of all time, when he took his 532nd victim to tie with Muttiah Muralitharan. The next day, Warne took the wicket of Irfan Pathan to record his 533rd victim and hold the Test record on his own.

  • Named in "Richie Benaud's Greatest XI" in 2004.

  • His 96 Test wickets in 2005, set a new world record mark for a calendar year.

  • In 2005, he was named as winner of the BBC Sports Personality of the Year Overseas Personality for his performance in the 2005 Ashes series.

  • In 2006, he was awarded an honorary doctorate from Southampton Solent University for services to cricket.

  • Warne was named Australian Test Player of the Year at the Allan Border Medal awards in 2006.

  • Shane Warne is only one of four Australian cricketers to have his portrait in the Long Room at Lords, the others being Victor Trumper, Sir Donald Bradman and Keith Miller. He was also the only one to have it hanging while he was still playing.

  • On 3rd January 2007, Warne achieved the milestone of 1000 international wickets (combined total from Tests and one-day internationals) by claiming the wicket of Monty Panesar LBW during the 5th Test of the 2006-07 Ashes series. He was the second bowler to reach that milestone after Sri Lanka's Muttiah Muralitharan.

The sign says it all!
Warne is congratulated by Adam Gilchrist

Life outside cricket
This has long been one of Warne's passions.

Full Name: Shane Keith Warne

Teams: Australia, Victoria, Hampshire

Date of Birth: 13 September, 1969
Place of Birth: Ferntree Gully, Victoria
Height: 183 cm         Weight: 85 kg
Bowling Type: Right arm leg spin
Batting Style: Right arm batsman
Test Cap Number: 350
ODI Cap Number: 110
World Record Holder: 708 Test Wickets
Nicknames: Hollywood, Warnie, Twistie Showbags

Test Cricket
Test debut: Australia v India: 3rd Test at Sydney: Jan 2-6 1992
Last Test: Australia v England: 5th Test at SCG: January 2-5 2007
Tests: Played: 145     Wickets: 708     Average: 25.41     Best: 8-71
Tests: Won: 92     Lost: 26     Drawn: 27
Test Batting: Runs: 3154   Average: 17.33   HS: 99   50s: 11   100s: 0
5 Wickets in an Innings: 37 times  10 Wickets in an Match: 10 times

One Day Internationals
ODI debut: Australia v NZ: 3rd ODI at Wellington: 
Last ODI: Asia XI v ICC World XI at Melbourne: January 10 2005 
ODIs: Played: 194     Wickets: 293     Average: 25.73     Best: 5-33
ODIs:  Won: 124    Lost: 65     Tied: 3     No Result: 2
ODI Batting: Runs: 1018    Average: 13.05    HS: 55    50s: 1    100s: 0
5 Wickets in an Innings: 10 times

All First Class Matches
1st-class Debut: Victoria v WA at Junction Oval: February 15 1991
Last 1st Class: Currently still playing for Hampshire
1st Class: Played: 286   Wickets: 1269  Average: 25.98   Best: 8-71
5 Wickets in an Innings: 64 times  10 Wickets in an Match: 11 times

Other Miscellaneous Facts
Catches: Test Matches: 125     ODIs: 80     First Class: 247
1st Class Batting:      Runs: 6555        Average: 19.55        HS: 107 no
Wisden Cricketer of the Year: 1994
One-Day International Player of the Year: 2000
Selected as one of five Wisden Cricketers of the Century: 2000
Test Player of the Year: 2006
Australian Team of the Century: 2000
International Cricketer of the Year: 1993-94
Selected as one of five Wisden Cricketers of the Year: 1994
Hat trick: vs England: 2nd Test at MCG: December 29th 1994
BBC Sports Personality of the Year Overseas Personality: 2005
Awarded an honorary doctorate from Southampton Solent University for services to cricket: 2006
 

Warne leaves the MCG after becoming the first player to capture 700 Test wickets.

Warne shows the ball with which he claimed his world record 533rd victim

They say no-one is irreplaceable.  But Shane Warne certainly comes close!

His departure from international cricket will leave a gaping hole that will be difficult to fill, particularly in the short term. Whether you loved him or hated him, one thing remains certain. During his celebrated career, Shane Warne put bums on seats. Not only in Australia, but all over the world, cricket fans filed through the turnstiles in their thousands to see this rare genius perform his magic.

Sure it can be said that his departure will leave some players and some cricket fans rejoicing, but most genuine cricket lovers will be saddened by Shane's exit from the game. Sadly, rare talents like Warne come along all too infrequently.

So what were the great strengths of Warne that set him apart from the mere mortals of the game? Well, the first was talent. Shane was an exceptionally talented player. Physically, he was perfect for his trade. His exceptionally strong hands and fingers were well supported by wrists and shoulders to match. He also possessed an almost technically perfect delivery action, that he could repeat ball after ball. These assets enabled him to impart phenomenal spin on the ball while maintaining incredible control. A quality lacking in so many leg spinners who came before him.

The second quality that distinguishes Shane Warne from the rest was his competitiveness. Whenever he walked onto the field, Warne was single-minded in his quest for victory. He would do anything within the rules of cricket to gain mental superiority over his opponents. Although he was criticized by some for pushing the boundaries too far, Warne was rarely cited for poor behaviour on the field. Perhaps former England player, Angus Fraser summed it up perfectly when he

said, "Warne is the ultimate competitor. At times his harassment of umpires and batsmen has overstepped the mark, but I would rather see a player react as he does than give in."

Another of Warne's great assets was his tremendous mental strength, a  quality that without doubt was enhanced by his almost total belief in his own ability. Time and time again, Warne bounced back from adversity. He was a particularly resilient character, both on and off the field. Perhaps he needed to be! Not only was he tough mentally, but Warne possessed an astute cricket brain. All of his captains turned to him for advice. Except for a few ODI games, it is probably fair to say that Shane Warne was the best captain Australia never had. His off-field exploits ended his aspirations to ever captain his country.

Finally, when you add his complete refusal to give in to an opponent, you have most of the ingredients that make up the aura that is Shane Warne. The last quality was never better demonstrated than Warne's performances during the Ashes series in 2005. When the rest of the Aussies were struggling to hold onto the 'old jug', Warne stood virtually alone in his struggle against the old enemy. His 40 wickets in the five Tests, at an incredible average of 19.92, virtually kept Australia in the series on its own.

Super duo: McGrath & Warne

So life without Shane Warne will be a great challenge, particularly for the Australian Test team. Not only has Warne retired, but so too has Glenn McGrath, arguably one of the greatest fast bowlers of all time. Between them, they combined to take an amazing 1271 Test wickets. No other pair in history has come close to that performance. It will be very interesting to see how the Aussies cope in the near future.

In conclusion, Sports Card World would like to congratulate Shane on his wonderful career. We acknowledge his contribution to cricket both at the national and international levels. We sincerely hope that a new generation of wrist spinners, inspired by Warne, will make an appearance on the international stage in the not too distant future. Finding one with half the talent of Warnie will be well worth the effort.

And it's not absolutely essential that when this youngster makes his debut, he is sporting and earring, has dyed blonde hair and displays an interest in surfing. But if he comes pre-armed with a sharp cricketing awareness, a small helping of mongrel and a large proportion of larrikin, well that would be ............. just about,  bloody perfect!

Thanks Shane for a fantastic career.    You were simply, the best!

Shane pictured with two his three children, Jackson and Brooke.

Warne's highest score in Test cricket was 99 against NZ in Perth, December 2001
 

Shane Warne is carried off the SCG by Stuart Clark and Andrew Symonds after his final Test for Australia in January 2007.

It's very hard to accept that Warne will never be seen playing on the great Test venues around the world.