20th December, 2006 | Back to Shane Warne Index

 

Leading cricketers from Australia and England have spoken of their admiration for Shane Warne as retirement looms for Test cricket's leading wicket-taker. BBC Sport

 

England's Paul Collingwood, who was dismissed by Warne on his Ashes debut in 2005, said: "The guy is a legend.

 

"In cricketing terms he is the ultimate legend. He's probably the best bowler there has ever been on this planet.

 

"He's always in your ear and the balls coming down are great to face - it's what you play the game for."

 

Mark Taylor, Australia captain from 1994-99, said the spin wizard's larger-than-life character is key to his success.

 

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

 

"He was an aggressive leg-spin bowler, he didn't just toss them up, he would grunt and groan and have a body language more like a fast bowler.

 

"That sort of character is one of the reasons he took so many Test wickets."

 

Former selector Allan Border, who skippered Warne when he first emerged in dramatic fashion during the Ashes tour of England in 1993, thought the match-winner could still play on for several seasons.

 

"It's just caught everyone by surprise," Border said. "He's in superb touch, he's bowling well, physically he's very well.

"I just got the inkling that he was even considering one more tilt at England in England and that would see him out."

Border was also captain when Warne made his Test debut against India at Sydney in January 1992 and recalls: "There was something special about him, right from the word go."

 

Former Aussie paceman Geoff Lawson was also surprised by the revelations, and feels Warne could have created even greater history.

"I thought he still had a couple of years left in him and I thought he was good for a thousand Test wickets," Lawson said.

 

"Having regained the Ashes after the disaster of 2005 and doing it in such terrific style, that might have influenced his decision.

"Without Shane Warne, Australia would not be 3-0 up in the series. They might have won one but they wouldn't have won in Adelaide or Perth without him and if he's going to go out then I suppose it's best to go out on a high.

 

"There will be a lot of disappointed fans around the world, but there won't be too many disappointed opposing batsmen."

 

Australia selector Merv Hughes, another former team-mate of Warne, joined the tributes.

 

"Whatever you say about Shane Warne it isn't enough," Hughes said.

 

"His performances have not only shaped cricket in Australia but worldwide. He's been a real revelation.

 

"You got to coaching clinics and see kids with their hair dyed blonde and wanting to bowl leg-spin.

 

"There are memories all through his career, most people go through a purple patch and Shane Warne has had a purple patch for 15 of 16 years." Back to Shane Warne Index