Tribute: Shane Warne, legendary Aussie leg spinner, passes away
Legendary Australian leg spinner and one of Wisden’s five cricketers of the century, passes away. As he was lovingly known, Warnie was known for his spirit on and off the field. Rest in Peace, Warnie.
“Shane was found unresponsive in his villa and despite the best efforts of medical staff, he could not be revived,” Warne’s management have confirmed in a statement.
“The family requests privacy at this time and will provide further details in due course.”
Thai Police said they were not treating the death as suspicious.
Warne’s associates staying in the same villa tried unsuccessfully to revive him, police added.
Warne, widely regarded as the greatest spinner to play the sport, played 145 Tests for Australia and has 708 wickets- a figure only surpassed by Sri Lanka’s Muttiah Muralitharan. He also won the 1999 ODI World Cup and 1001 international wickets.
The news is the second blow for Australian cricket with fellow great, Rod Marsh, also dying on Friday having suffered a major heart attack last week.
Warne’s last post on Twitter, 12 hours before his death was reported, was a tribute to Marsh.
“Sad to hear the news that Rod Marsh has passed. He was a legend of our great game & an inspiration to so many young boys & girls. Rod cared deeply about cricket & gave so much-especially to Australia & England players. Sending lots & lots of love to Ros & the family.”
Current Australia batsman David Warner wrote on Instagram: “Two legends of our game have left us too soon. I’m lost for words, and this is extremely sad. My thoughts and prayers go out to the Marsh and Warne family. I just can not believe it. #rip, you will both be missed.”
In 2013, he was inducted into the ICC Hall of Fame.
He helped Australia win the World Cup in 1999 and took more wickets than any other bowler in Ashes cricket, the tally standing at 195.
