***Official**** Shane Warne Tribute thread

[honestbharani]

Alright. It is a big day in cricket. Shane Warne has officially announced his retirement from the international game.


And instead of clogging up the front page of CC with tribute threads in various forms, I think it will be better to have one thread and have it stickied to the top for a few weeks.


So go on guys, tell everyone your favourite Warney moment, your favourite Warney wicket, your favourite Warney memory, what you think was his best match, the most unforgettable thing about Warne, what you think makes him the greatest leg spinner, what quality does he have that you think is generally missing in other spinners... Anything relating to Warne.


And please guys, lets keep this free of comparisons of any kind between any players. That can be kept aside for a diff. time and a diff. thread. This thread is about Warney and saluting his achievements and appreciating everything he has done for the game.

 

[archie mac]

I admire his focus, his wife has left him, he has lost hundreds of thousands in contracts, his photo is all over the papers for all of the wrong reasons, and the BA is giving him grief.
( I'm thinking 2005 here)

But still Warne goes on, strikes a perfect lenth and gives 100% for the Aussie team.

 

[Jonners]

One of the game's three immortals!

As an England fan I should be pleased to hear of Warneys retirement. I am not, I am gutted. To think that I will never again watch him bowl in England in a Test Match is a very sad thought indeed!

Perhaps it is, however, right for Warne's legacy that he should go out at the top of his game.

Over the past century the names of WG Grace and Don Bradman have been spoken in awe as being the two immortal names of our beloved game. Now, I am certain there is a third name to join that rarest of elites who stand head and shoulders above all others who played the game. So to complete this immortal triumverate, stand up, SHANE WARNE.

There we are. GRACE, BRADMAN and WARNE. True Gods of the game for all time.

Jonathan Rhodes

 

[adharcric]

Shane Warne is a cricketing genius. He is the greatest leg-spinner and one of the most influential figures in the history of cricket. He is an emblem of both passion and professionalism on the field. In spite of off-the-field controversy, he has remained focused on pursuing his passion for cricket, developing his own game and putting his heart and soul into the success of his team. One for the ages.

 

[GotSpin]

So how about that Murali character. Bit of a bent elbow no doubt...











Anyway, what a great man. Game won't be the same

 

[howardj]

From when his Dad (who's quite wealthy in his own right) dropped him off in a Porsche outside Australian cricket headquarters for his first camp, after being selected for his debut in 1992, all the way through to his suffocating performance in Adelaide (4 for 49 off 32), he's just been a brilliant cricketer, a great team man, and the ultimate showman.

 

[Craig]

World Cup 1999.

Quite a remarkable tournament when you consider a few months ago he was actually dropped from the Australian for the 4th Test in St Johns after Brian Lara who had been given two Tests to prove his captaincy (and his spot perhaps?) went after him like he was a bowler on his Test debut/series.

 

[FaaipDeOiad]

As I said in one of the other threads, it's the Gatting ball for me. The stage and the delivery just perfectly sum up Warne's character, ability and impact on the game. There's plenty of highlights, but that's at the top of the list.

On the subject of Warne tributes, anyone else read the "Warne timeline" on the cricinfo front page? Has a fair number of errors, for a professional piece. Even gets the timing of Warne's 7/52 against the West Indies and the 1993 Ashes mixed up, so it appears that the Ashes came first.

 

[Josh]

Yes, the Gatting ball is probably very significant, and probably the obvious answer. I think his efforts in the 2005 Ashes series (with bat and ball, mind you) were second to none.

One moment I really admired was in the Tsunami Relief World XI game at the MCG, when Warne asked Chris Gayle to move 5 metres towards fine on the boundary, and the next ball was lofted straight into the hands of Gayle.

Pure cricketing genius. The man knows what it's all about. Sad to see him go. The best we've ever seen; here's to you, Warney!!

 

[aussie]

Other than the Gatting ball he has bowled some other beauties over the past 15 years:

- Strauss ball

- big leg-break to Chanderpaul in 96

- flipper to Richie Richardson in 92

- big leg-break to Vaas in 2004

- classical leg-break to dismiss Tendulkar in Chennai 98 (i rate this one very highly)

- bowling Hamish Marshall round his legs in 2005

- bowling gibbs & kirsten in the 99 WC semi-final

Probaby more, but these i remember..

 

[marc71178]

For me, it'll be bowling that ball that Hawkeye refused to believe actually happened last summer.

 

[mikeW]

I just love some of the sledges he comes up with

Best EVER bowler as well.

 

[Dravid]

Warne in 1999 world cup after Gibbs I believe who it was who got bowled

" C MON!!!!!!!!! "

I will never ever forget that.

 

[NZTailender]

Don't have much to say that hasn't been said.

A fine cricketer the best

 

[Matt79]

Best player I've ever seen personally, by a long way. Game will not be the same without him. All the "controversy" will be forgotten in a few years as the fickle seekers of sensation find some new schmoe to obsess about, and us true fans will be left with a career and body of achievement that will only grow in the maturation from immediacy to fond memory...

Look forward to telling my son that his hero (circa 2015-20) is crap compared to Warne...

 

[adharcric]

Sachin Tendulkar has paid tribute to Shane Warne as well. Good to see some of the modern greats giving Warne the recognition that he truly deserves.

 

[R_D]

Great Bowlers.. given us all many fond memories.
I'm bit suprised TBH.. i thought he would have continued on for another 2 years at least.. wasn't expecting the retirment so soon. He looked like he could go on for a year or 2 easy.

 

[Ikki]

Rooming with Shane Warne:

Shane Warne - Mr. Entertainment

Rooming with Warney was always enjoyable as he loves his gadgets - DVDs, Minidiscs and the latest in mobile phones. He used to bring complete home entertainment systems on tour, lugging around a subwoofer and speakers in its own suitcase, before proceeding to play his music and movies - loud. Not a problem when he played some Powderfinger but I think Spice Girls should be listened to in the privacy of your own headphones. He once bought a mobile phone in Dubai in 1994 when they were only just new and the size of a house brick. He was disappointed with the low volume when speaking only to realise the phone was upside-down and back-to-front! Also a softie at heart, I once woke to find him crying during Notting Hill, when Hugh Grant and Julia Roberts reunite at the end.

 

[Laurrz]

*sigh

its so upsetting knowing that noone will ever be like him..as a charactar and a cricketer...not in our generation ever again anyway ..........

 

[dinu23]

i haven't seen many greats in my life so i consider myself lucky to have seen Warne in action all these years.