Shane Warne facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Shane Warne

Warne in February 2015
Personal information
Full name	Shane Keith Warne
Born	(1969-09-13)13 September 1969 Upper Ferntree Gully, Victoria, Australia
Died	4 March 2022(2022-03-04) (aged 52) Ko Samui, Thailand
Nickname	Warnie, The King, King of Spin
Height	1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)
Batting	Right-handed
Bowling	Right-arm leg break
Role	Bowler
International information
National side	Australia (1992–2007)
Test debut (cap 350)	2 January 1992 v India
Last Test	2 January 2007 v England
ODI debut (cap 110)	24 March 1993 v New Zealand
Last ODI	10 January 2005 v Asia XI
ODI shirt no.	23
Domestic team information
Years	Team
1990/91–2006/07	Victoria (squad no. 23)
2000–2007	Hampshire (squad no. 23)
2008–2012	Rajasthan Royals (squad no. 23)
2011/12–2012/13	Melbourne Stars (squad no. 23)
Career statistics
Competition Test ODI FC LA Matches 145 194 301 311 Runs scored 3,154 1,018 6,919 1,879 Batting average 17.32 13.05 19.43 11.81 100s/50s 0/12 0/1 2/26 0/1 Top score 99 55 107* 55 Balls bowled 40,705 10,642 74,830 16,419 Wickets 708 293 1,319 473 Bowling average 25.41 25.73 26.11 24.61 5 wickets in innings 37 1 69 3 10 wickets in match 10 0 12 0 Best bowling 8/71 5/33 8/71 6/42 Catches/stumpings 125/– 80/– 264/– 126/–

Shane Keith Warne AO (born September 13, 1969 – died March 4, 2022) was an amazing Australian international cricketer. He played from 1992 to 2007. Warne was a right-arm leg spin bowler and a right-handed batsman. He played for Victoria, Hampshire, and Australia. Many people think he was one of the greatest bowlers ever.

He played in 145 Test matches and took 708 wickets. This was a world record for the most wickets taken by any bowler in Test cricket until 2007. Warne was also part of the Australian team that won the 1999 Cricket World Cup. He was a good lower-order batsman, scoring over 3,000 Test runs. His highest score was 99. He stopped playing international cricket after Australia won the 2006–07 Ashes series against England.

After retiring, Warne often worked as a cricket commentator. He also supported charities and promoted products. To honor his skill, a statue of Warne bowling was placed outside the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG). A special memorial service was held for him there, and a grandstand was named after him. Warne was given the Officer of the Order of Australia award for his contributions to cricket.

Early Life and Cricket Start

Shane Warne was born in Upper Ferntree Gully, Victoria, Australia, on September 13, 1969. His parents were Brigitte and Keith Warne. He went to Hampton High School and then Mentone Grammar on a sports scholarship.

Warne first played for the University of Melbourne Cricket Club in 1983–84. He bowled both leg-spin and off-spin. He was also a useful lower-order batsman. Later, he joined St Kilda Cricket Club and moved up through their teams. In 1987, Warne played Australian rules football for St Kilda Football Club's under-19 team. He stopped playing football in 1988 to focus only on cricket. In 1990, he trained at the Australian Cricket Academy.

In 1991, Warne played for Accrington Cricket Club in England. He took 73 wickets that season.

Playing for Victoria and Hampshire

Warne played his first first-class cricket match on February 15, 1991. He played for Victoria against Western Australia.

He signed a big contract to play for Hampshire County Cricket Club in England in 2000. He later became their captain from 2004 to 2007. For Hampshire, he scored his only two first-class centuries. He also took 276 wickets.

International Cricket Career

Starting with Australia (1991–1993)

Warne was chosen for the Australia B team that toured Zimbabwe in September 1991. He took 7 wickets in one match, helping his team win.

In December 1991, Warne played for Australia A against the West Indies. He was then picked for the Australian Test team. His first Test match was in January 1992 against India at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG). He took 1 wicket for 150 runs.

Warne had a tough start, but he showed his skill on August 22, 1992. He took the last three Sri Lankan wickets without giving up any runs. This helped Australia win by 16 runs. Even the Sri Lankan captain, Arjuna Ranatunga, was surprised by Warne's bowling.

He was left out of some matches but came back strong. In December 1992, he took 7 wickets for 52 runs against the West Indies in a match-winning performance.

Becoming a Star (1993–1999)

In 1993, Warne went on the Ashes tour of England. He took 34 wickets, more than anyone else in the series. His very first ball of the series was famous. It was called the "Ball of the Century". He bowled out English batsman Mike Gatting with a ball that spun a lot.

Warne took 71 Test wickets in 1993, which was a record for a spin bowler in one year. He was named one of the Wisden Cricketers of the Year in 1994.

In the 1994–95 Ashes series in Australia, Warne took a career-best 8 wickets for 71 runs. He took 27 wickets in the series. In the second Test, he got his only Test hat-trick. He dismissed three batsmen in a row. Warne also helped Australia keep the Ashes by batting well in the Third Test. He and Tim May held on for a draw.

In 1995, Warne took 15 wickets in the West Indies. Australia won a Test series there for the first time in almost 20 years. He was a key player in Australia's team for the 1996 Cricket World Cup. He took 12 wickets, including 4 wickets for 36 runs in the semi-final. Australia reached the final but lost to Sri Lanka.

By late 1997, Warne had taken 300 Test wickets at the age of 28. He became the second Australian to reach this milestone. People started calling him a truly great player. In 1998, Warne became the most successful spin bowler in Test Cricket, passing Lance Gibbs' record of 309 wickets.

After a shoulder injury, Warne returned to international cricket in January 1999.

Leading the Team (1999–2000)

Warne was made vice-captain of Australia in 1999. However, he was dropped from the Test team during Australia's tour of the West Indies. His bowling improved in the One Day International (ODI) series. He was then chosen for the 1999 Cricket World Cup in the United Kingdom.

Warne took 12 wickets in the early stages of the 1999 World Cup. In the semi-final against South Africa, he was the man of the match. He took 4 key wickets. Australia then played Pakistan in the final. Warne took 4 wickets for 33 runs, and Australia won the World Cup easily. Warne was the joint-top wicket-taker in the tournament. He was also named man of the match in the final.

After the World Cup, Warne remained vice-captain for tours of Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe. In March 2000, he passed Dennis Lillee's 355 wickets to become Australia's leading wicket-taker ever. In August 2000, he was removed as Australia's vice-captain. Adam Gilchrist took his place.

Challenges and Comeback (2001–2006)

Warne missed the 2000–01 Australian summer due to a finger injury. He returned for Australia's tour of India in 2001. In the 2001 Ashes tour, he took 31 wickets. In the final Test, he took his 400th Test wicket. Warne became the first Australian and sixth person to reach 400 Test wickets.

In 2001–02, Warne almost scored his first Test century. He was caught out on 99 runs, but it was later found to be a no-ball. He took many wickets against South Africa. In October 2002, he took 27 wickets against Pakistan and was named player of the series.

In February 2003, Warne faced a ban from playing cricket for one year. This was due to a medical issue related to a banned substance found in his system. He was allowed to play in charity matches during his ban. During this time, he also worked as a television commentator.

Warne returned to cricket in February 2004. In March, he became the second cricketer to take 500 Test wickets. On October 15, 2004, he broke the record for most career wickets in Test cricket. He passed Muttiah Muralitharan with 533 wickets. Australia won the series in India for the first time since 1969.

On August 11, 2005, Warne became the first bowler to take 600 Test wickets. In 2005, he took 96 wickets, a record for a calendar year. He took 40 wickets in the 2005 Ashes series. He shared the player of the series award with England's Andrew Flintoff.

Saying Goodbye to International Cricket (2006–2007)

Warne (right) bowling to Ian Bell in Brisbane in 2006

Warne played his last Test series in the 2006–07 Ashes series. On December 26, 2006, he took his 700th Test wicket at the MCG. This was the first time a player had taken 700 Test wickets. The crowd of 89,155 gave him a standing ovation.

Warne's final Test match was at the SCG, where his first Test was played 15 years earlier. He took his 1,000th international wicket in this match. Warne is one of only two bowlers to have taken over 1,000 wickets in international cricket. The other is Muttiah Muralitharan.

Twenty20 Cricket Career (2008–2013)

Warne bowling for the Melbourne Stars in 2011

After retiring from international cricket, Warne became captain of Rajasthan Royals in the Indian Premier League (IPL) in 2008. He led the Royals to win the first season of the competition. He was captain for four more seasons.

Warne bowling for Rajasthan Royals in 2009

In November 2011, Warne signed to play for Melbourne Stars in Australia's new Big Bash League (BBL). He took seven wickets in eight matches. In July 2014, Warne captained the Rest of the World team at Lord's. In February 2018, he became a team mentor for Rajasthan Royals.

Warne's Impact on Cricket

Many people see Shane Warne as one of the greatest bowlers in cricket history. He changed cricket with his amazing leg spin bowling. Before him, leg spin was not as popular because it was hard to bowl accurately. Warne helped bring spin bowling back into the spotlight.

His famous "Gatting Ball" in the 1993 Ashes series is a great example of his skill. The ball spun sharply to bowl out English batsman Mike Gatting. Warne was known for his competitive spirit. He made batsmen think something special was happening, even when it wasn't.

Warne was also a good lower-order batsman. He scored 99 runs in a Test match once, just one run short of a century. He also holds the record for the most Test runs without scoring a century. He was also a successful slip fielder, taking 125 catches.

Life Outside Cricket

Warne had many nicknames, including Warnie, The King, and The King of Spin.

He worked with Muttiah Muralitharan to help people in Sri Lanka after the 2004 tsunami. His charity, the Shane Warne Foundation, helped seriously ill and underprivileged children.

Warne also appeared on TV shows. He was a cricket commentator for Nine Network, Sky Sports, and Fox Cricket. He also appeared on the Australian sitcom Kath & Kim and the BBC show A Question of Sport.

Personal Life

Warne in 2012 with then-fiancée Elizabeth Hurley

Shane Warne was married to Simone Callahan from 1999 to 2005. They had three children: Summer, Jackson, and Brooke. Later, he was engaged to English actress Elizabeth Hurley from 2011 to 2013.

In August 2021, Warne contracted COVID-19. He said he had a bad headache and shivers, like having the flu. Warne was born with heterochromia iridum, which meant he had one blue eye and one green eye.

His Passing

Shane Warne passed away on March 4, 2022, at age 52. He died from a heart attack while on holiday in Thailand. His death happened on the same day as fellow Australian cricketer Rod Marsh. Warne had paid tribute to Marsh on Twitter just hours before. Six days later, Warne's body was returned to Melbourne, Australia.

His private funeral was held on March 20, 2022, at Moorabbin Oval in Melbourne. His parents and children led the mourners. Many former teammates also attended. On March 30, a public state memorial event was held for Warne at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. About 55,000 people attended, and it was broadcast widely.

Tributes to Shane Warne

Warne's statue outside the MCG became a makeshift memorial after his death

Many cricketers from Australia and around the world paid tribute to Warne. These included Adam Gilchrist, Ricky Ponting, Sachin Tendulkar, Brian Lara, and Kevin Pietersen.

The Australian women's cricket team wore black armbands to honor him. The Australian men's cricket team also held a minute of silence. Celebrities like Chris Martin of Coldplay, Russell Crowe, and Elton John also shared their respects. Fans left flowers, beer, and other items at Warne's statue outside the MCG.

His former Big Bash League team, the Melbourne Stars, honored him by wearing his number 23 jersey. They also retired his number 23 after the game.

Melbourne Memorial Service

Warne's state memorial service was held on March 30, 2022, at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. It was free to attend and lasted about 140 minutes. Over 1.5 million Australians watched the service.

Greta Bradman, Donald Bradman's granddaughter, sang the national anthem. Warne's children, father, brother, and friends gave speeches. Warne's father shared a quote from Shane: "Shane said of himself, 'I smoked, I drank, and I played a little cricket.'"

It was decided that the Great Southern Stand at the MCG would be renamed in Warne's honor. At the end of the memorial, Warne's children unveiled the Shane Warne Stand sign. Frank Sinatra's song "My Way" played as the crowd cheered.

Awards and Recognition

Statue of Warne at Melbourne Cricket Ground

In 2000, cricket experts chose Warne as one of five Wisden Cricketers of the Century. He was the only bowler and the only active player on the list. Wisden Cricketers' Almanack also named him the Wisden Leading Cricketer in the World in 1997 and 2004.

In 2004, Richie Benaud chose Warne as the best spin bowler of all time for his Greatest XI team. In 2005, Warne was named the BBC Overseas Sports Personality of the Year.

In 2007, Cricket Australia and Sri Lanka Cricket named the Australia–Sri Lanka Test cricket series the Warne–Muralitharan Trophy. This honored Warne and Muttiah Muralitharan. In 2007, Cricket Australia also named Warne in their greatest ODI XI team. In 2009, he received honorary life membership of Marylebone Cricket Club.

On December 22, 2011, a statue honoring Warne was unveiled outside the MCG. The bronze statue shows Warne in his bowling action. Warne said it was a "great honour."

In 2012, a grandstand at the Rose Bowl in England was named the Shane Warne Stand. He was also inducted into the Cricket Hall of Fame by Cricket Australia. In 2013, Warne was inducted into the ICC Cricket Hall of Fame.

In June 2022, Warne was given the Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) award after his passing. This was for his service to cricket and his charity work. In December 2022, Warne was made a Legend in the Sport Australia Hall of Fame.

Images for kids

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  Warne in February 2015

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  Warne (right) bowling to Ian Bell in Brisbane in 2006

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  Warne bowling for the Melbourne Stars in 2011

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  Warne bowling for Rajasthan Royals in 2009

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  Warne in 2012 with then-fiancée Elizabeth Hurley

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  Warne's statue outside the MCG became a makeshift memorial after his death

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  Statue of Warne at Melbourne Cricket Ground

See also

In Spanish: Shane Warne para niños