Test Match Special - Remembering Shane Warne

Episode Date: March 4, 2022

As cricket comes to terms with the death of Australian cricket legend Shane Warne at the age of 52, Eleanor Oldroyd is joined by BBC cricket correspondent Jonathan Agnew and former England spinner Phil Tufnell to remember his life and career.Former team-mate Stuart Law, friend Pat Cash and Hampshire chairman Rob Bransgrove discuss what made Warne so special. They also hear from Mike Gatting, the man dismissed by Warne’s ‘ball of the century’.Australia captain Pat Cummins and England captain Joe Root also pay tribute to the man who took 708 test wickets, while cricket writer Geoff Lemon explains why Warne was a role model for a generation of young Australians.TOPICS: 2.37 – Jonathan Agnew and Phil Tufnell discuss Warne’s life 4.59 – Geoff Lemon on Warne inspiring a nation 15.32 – Joe Root and Pat Cummins pay tribute 21.40 – Mike Gatting remembers Warne’s ‘ball of the century’ 29.26 – Stuart Law on being a team-mate of Warne 41.27 – Rob Bransgrove on Warne’s legacy at Hampshire 45.32 – Pat Cash on being Shane Warne’s friend

This BBC podcast is supported by ads outside the UK. The Dakar Rally is the ultimate off-road challenge. Perfect for the ultimate defender. The high-performance Defender Octa, 626 horsepower twin turbo V8 engine and intelligent 6D dynamics air suspension. Learn more at landrover.ca. BBC Sounds, music, radio, podcasts. Good evening and welcome to Five Live.

sport on an evening when the sporting world is coming to terms with the loss of a legend. You know, I had a lot of fun. I was lucky enough to play in an era of Australian cricket that was pretty awesome. We beat every team home and away. We had a lot of fun. There were some great characters. We played off some of the all-time great players. And also that I'd like to think that we entertain people and that I made people smile.

You know, I made them think, oh, I love watching Test cricket. What's he going to do this time? What's warning going to do this time? So thinking about that, you know, that made me proud of what I've been able to achieve. Shane Warn, the legendary Australian spin bowler, who has died today of a suspected heart attack while on holiday in Thailand. He was just 52. As England Cricket put it in a tweet earlier, one of the greatest of all time, a legend, a genius, you changed cricket, RIPP, Shane Warn. We'll have reaction to this just shocking news from Joe Root, Pat Cummins, Mike Gatting and Pat Cash.

But with me for the next hour to reflect on the line. of Shane Warn, our cricket correspondent, Jonathan Agnew, the former England spinner, Phil Tufnell, and the Australian cricket journalist, Geoff Lemon. Good evening to all of you. Good evening, Lily. Hello, hello. Agas, let me start with you. It just seems so surreal, doesn't it? It seems unreal to be talking about him in the past tense. But how do you sum up Shane Warn's contribution to cricket? Well, where did you start? First, we've sent our condolences to his family and also to Rod Marsh's, because that was, obviously a massive blow yesterday, you know,

rod to someone who's dearly loved by all the cricket world. And you reel from that, and then in my case over where I am, you wake up this morning to this. And it just doesn't seem, it doesn't seem real. You know, you hear his voice there in that clip, hoping that he made people smile. He did make people smile. And he attracted so many, many people to critic,

just by his character, by his charisma, by everything that went on with Shane Warren who's let's face it lived life in a thousand miles an hour he was just one of those sorts of people and his legacy as far as cricket is concerned is immense, absolutely immense there's never been a spinner like it

but what Shane Warren was able to do on the field with that cricket ball was absolutely remarkable Tuffers I read that tweet out from England cricket they say he changed cricket how did he change cricket in your view it was an absolute superstar a superstar not only of cricket

but I think everyone knew Shane Warren across sport you know whatever sport you were involved in you knew who Shane Warren was it's as simple as that as you say great showman he got people to fall back in love with spin bowling didn't he

everyone wanted to be a spinner and a leggy you know when there was just a sea of fast bowlers in those days you know what I mean He emptied bars, people when Shane Warren was bowling, came out the bars, sat there and got involved in the game of cricket. He was a fabulous bloke. And a lot of people, you know, sometimes just forget as well,

a fantastic cricket brain as well, not only sort of on the field, but then off the field. And I got to know him really quite well off the field in the commentary box and what have you and the love for the game and the knowledge for the game, always talking about the game. and you know who could he help what young spinner could he go and help

who could he sort of give some advice and some wisdom for it and when he spoke you know in cricketing circles and not just in cricketing circles people listened he was one of those kind of guys when he walked into a bar you knew that Shane Warren was in there

when he walked into a dressing room you knew Shane Warren was in there when he walked into a commentary box you know you just knew Shane was there he was a great lad he had a great sense of humour We're always smiling, always having a laugh. And it's just such a sad, sad day.

52. I mean, wow. You know, I can't believe that we're going to be turning up this summer and he won't be knocking around. I'm absolutely stunned and shocked. A great cricketer. And I think also, you know, people say that you're never bigger than the game. But if anyone got close to it, I reckon it was Shane.

I reckon he was nearly bigger than the cricket. Look, we're all scattered all over the world this evening, so I'm in Salford, tough as you're at home. Jonathan is in the West Indies. Jeff Lemon is in Pakistan at the moment, in Roll Pindi, watching the Australian cricket team play in the first test match against Pakistan. I mean, what was it like when that news landed with you guys out there?

Ellie, hello. I hope you can hear me all right coming in from Islamabad. It's past midnight here. just a bizarre day. I don't think I'm going to be very coherent because I think it's not everybody around who's here. He's come to see Australia come back to Pakistan for the first time in 24 years.

It felt like an upbeat day. It felt like something good had happened for cricket on this day. Even though there was the morning for Rod Marsh at the start of the day, It felt like there was a bit of, there was the circle of life. There was some sadness and some goodness. And then we're riding back in the cab at the end of the day after the game coming down the highway and start getting this news filtering through.

And I think nobody thought it was true at first. We all thought this has got to be a hoax or, you know, somebody's misunderstood it or whatever it is. And then finding out that the statement had come from Shane's manager and that it was his management putting the information out there. I think a few hours later I still don't believe it. It just doesn't seem possible. I mean, he was a cricketer of genius, Jonathan, as you've described.

But would you say cricketing genius, flawed human being? Would that sum him up? Well, he certainly had some brushes with authority along the way. I hope he can hear me. My microphone is hopeless that first answer that I gave. He walked that tightrope that often these brilliant geniuses do. and clearly there were issues in the past

he has banned for a year for taking a prohibitive substance for instance before the World Cup there were some other episodes on his way through life that actually almost certainly denied him the Australian captaincy I mean he's often described

as the greatest captain that Australia never had and it was those issues I think that were there in the background and the authorities thought that they couldn't quite take a chance on him being Australia's captain but as tough as was saying

he had such a brilliant tactical cricketing mind that, of course, he put to good use when he led Hampshire for those seasons and also when he was coaching in the IPL franchises and so on. He had such an active cricketing brain that he was just

always thinking it. And he wasn't one of those. I mean, it's often when he come across these really brilliant sportsmen and, okay, in my case I'm going to talk about cricketers, often when they are absolutely superb and they can turn up and so naturally gifted, they're not very good at actually relay

that into words for the rest of us, as normal human beings to try and learn from them and copy from them. But Shane could do that. Shane could put into common language what he was doing and how he saw cricket unfolding in front of him. And that's quite a rare thing. And he was an outstanding communicator. And one thing I'd also like to say about Shane,

bearing mind that we obviously came across him first time in, what, 92, 93, the ashes at home, the ball of the century, all that. far as I was concerned, he never changed. He never changed as a person because he arrived then as this young spiky head, young lad with an earring and everything else. And through the years, he became cricketing superstar, as stuff as said, you know, almost bigger than the game himself. But Shane never changed. He never changed at all. Get out of him, mate, and have a chat. And, you know, he was just the most down-to-earth person. Despite all, despite all of that superstardom, he was just a good bloke. Yeah. It's funny. We were talking in the office about this earlier on

and about our Shane Worn memories. And one that is a very recent one at Tuffus, and we'll talk about his storied career. We'll go back to that first ball in the ashes. We'll speak to Mike Gatting in a little bit. But when we were all in the bio bubble down at the Ageos Bowl in Hampshire, do you remember playing concourse cricket? Yes, yes.

And you got him out there and playing. Just remind us what happened that day. well Adam Mountford Henry Moran and the guys at TMS they were enjoying themselves playing concourse cricket after the day's play Because we were all locked in the bubble weren't we? We were locked in the bubble in Southampton

That's right, it was a good way of passing the time And I must admit there was a few gnarled old pros Perhaps who were sitting in the bar And not particularly wanting to get involved with playing Concourse cricket We'd probably had a little bit too much of that But I can remember, as you say, Mountie, you know, loving it out there. And, you know, he was a huge cricket fan and nut.

And I said to Shane, you know, excuse, Warren. He just couldn't come out and have a little bowl to our mate, Adam Mountford. He said, course I can, mate, course I can. So he put his beer down in his pizza and wandered out there and bowled a couple of deliveries and, you know, had a great laugh and a good feeling. I think Adam actually smashed it, actually. I think the old shoulder was a bit stiff. He hit him for six and then, yeah,

and then Shane was not going to give it up at that point and just kept on going until finally he nicked off. But that was the kind of, but that just summed up the fellow, you know what I mean? You know what I mean? As you said, the absolute cricketing superstar that he was, he was sitting in the bar, in the bubble, just one of the boys exactly like us,

telling yarns and telling jokes over a pizza and a beer, and then, as he said, came out and turned his own. arm over and did a little bit of concourse cricket and just smiled and laughed and then I think walked off and said right my pizza's getting cold you smashed me for six I've had enough you know what I mean and he had that love for the game all the way through Jeff I mean you know and the impact that he's had on well I mean you know you was somebody who grew up presumably watching him play and then this generation of players similarly who grew up watching him play well I think for me Shane Warren was cricket

Growing up, he was the first cricketer I was really aware of because he was, he was cricket through the 90s if you were a kid. And I was thinking about this over the last couple of hours. I reckon it almost didn't matter what age you were. You could have been 40 when you started watching Shane Juan Bowler. And you probably became a kid again because it was so much fun because, because there was, you know, there was the theater that Jonathan talked about. There was the cheekiness and the audaciousness and the ridiculousness.

and also the skill and also the complete lack of embarrassment almost. There were so many times when Shane Warren was made a comical figure in one way or another and he would always come back and do something magical on the field and never seemed cowed by the attention. So he was part of childhood because he was about joyfulness on the cricket field. And that's all that we cared about at that point. We weren't worried about who he was. off the field. It was what he did on it and that was all about it.

Yeah, and he was the man that the England fans loved to hate as well. And I mean, my favourite memory, I think, of watching him play was at the Oval, Jonathan, in 2005, that final day of the ashes in 05 when he had been such a star of that series, you know, and alongside that incredible Australian team. But England somehow had got themselves into a position to draw the testament, match and Ricky Ponting took him off and all the England fans were chanting at him we wish you were English and Ricky Ponting took him off and at that moment I think everyone thought that's it you know they've thrown it's all over it's all over England won it at that point

one of his greatest performances I haven't looked up his figures and Geoff will probably know but there's the 2006-7 Adelaide test when Andrew Flintoff declared and everything seemed safe And it was, what I loved about Warn's performance then when he, when he bowled England out to win the game, was how he sort of lured England in. It was not as though the conditions were perfect for Warn, but it was through those theatrics, through the histrionics. And I mean, when he got Kevin Peterson out, you just knew that actually England were being suckered to defeat here by someone who was just totally just spinning this web. and it was that was one of these that I have seen

one of his greatest performances we'll talk about Gatting's ball in a moment but there was another one toughest might have been playing at the test at the Gabber when he got Alex Stewart

out LBW and the flipper is an incredibly difficult ball to bowl it comes from under the hand and Shane had it for a while until he injured his shoulder but he lured Alex Stewart

into this so perfectly because of the trajectory that it comes the batsman's immediate instant it comes flat is here comes a short ball and you get on the back foot. So what he did with Stuart, he bowled him two shorter balls, normal balls were short, so Stuart's on the back foot. Then he fired in this flipper that Stewart thought again was a short ball, but of course it wasn't.

It was a full-length ball, bang, LBW. And it's the most perfect execution of what is an incredibly difficult ball to bowl that certainly I've ever seen. And that's always, always stuck with me. And if you were to speak to Alec, that would be the ball that he would mention. for sure. I think also, Ellie, that, the 2005

when England won the ashes, didn't it? I think he got 40 wickets, didn't he? He almost sort of like

dragged them over the line himself, you know, when England were really in the ascendancy. I mean,

it was an amazing effort on a losing ashes campaign. You know, I mean, it was, he single-handedly almost wrestled

those ashes out of Michael Vaughn's hands. And I do remember that. You never felt you were safe when he was bowling? You never felt he was safe when he was bowling. I mean, Trent Bridge, which England won. But while Warren was bowling, you still had it in your mind. You know,

this is not done. This fellow can get two or three wickets here suddenly and just change the whole game. Well, you could get four or five wickets quickly, not even two or three wickets. As you say, you had to get that last run, because as soon as, as long as he was bowling, Australia had a chance. Absolutely, they did. And current and former cricketers have been paying tribute, of course, to Shane Warren, including the England captain Joe Root and his Australian counterpart, Pat Cummins. Root describing the impact he had on the sport, starting with the Ashes in 2005.

That series was a massive influence on my career. You know, the way he sort of captured the nation along with the whole of that series, but his phenomenal performances throughout were, you know, they're the sort of things that make you want to get into the game and play it at the highest level. And you could see his joy and enthusiasm when he played, but it's still there, like when you got to speak to him,

even as a player now. It was great to chat to about the game, very knowledgeable. Just wanted to see the game played at the peak of its powers. And, yeah, it's just really sad. Warnie was an all-time great, a once-in-a-century-type cricketer, and his records will live on forever. all grew up watching Warnie, idolizing him. We all had posters on his wall, had his earrings. We love so much about Warnie. You know, his showmanship, his charisma, his tactics, the way

he just wield himself and the team around him to win games for Australia. And probably, above all else, his incredible skill as a leg spinner. There's so many guys in this team and squad who still hold him as a hero. They're all-time favourite player and the loss that we're all trying to wrap our heads around is huge. It's been a really tough day. A couple of days for Australian cricket after the passing of Rod.

We just wish the best of both families, especially Shane's parents and his kids. The game was never the same after Warnie emerged and the game will never be the same after his passing. Rest in peace, King. Well, that was Pat Cummins. And before that, Joe Root paying tribute to Shane Warn. And Jeff, as we've said, you're with the Australian cricket team at the moment in Pakistan.

And they're going to feel this. I mean, as Pat Cummins said, nobody feels it more painfully than Shane Warn's family. But the team will feel it keenly, I would have imagined over the next days and weeks to come. Absolutely. So, and I think not to diminish anybody's, passing, but there are, with Rod Marsh's death, when it's someone a little older who's had a longer life, you can look at it in a different way, you can take the positives more and think about the things that they've achieved and they've accomplished when it's, when it's someone who

feels like they've gone far too young and they had a whole lot more still to offer, that hurts in a different way. There's a, there's a different kind of poignancy to. that. And I think for just about every player, current player in that squad, they would have at least grown up on the tail end of his career. They would have known him as the living legend as far as players go, the entertainer, the thing you want to live up to. I mean, I think about the fact that everybody of my age or up to 10 years older and 10 years younger probably grew up trying to bowl leg spin. Nobody did that before. But everybody thought They were a leg spinner in Australia when they were 12 for about 25 years there.

And that's the kind of influence that he would have had on the current players. I think they'll be really knocked around. They had a hard day on the field, sort of won for 250. And then they've had these two emotional hits to deal with. I don't really know what sort of shape they'll be in come tomorrow. Jeff, thank you so much. Thank you for joining us late at night in Pakistan. We really appreciate it.

and we'll speak to you very soon and take care. Okay. Cheers, Jeff. That is Jeff Lemon. Some of the tributes that have just been pouring in all afternoon on social media, Brian Lara, saying, I'm speechless at the moment. I literally don't know how to sum up this situation. My friend is gone.

We have lost one of the greatest sportsmen of all time. My condolences go out to his family. R.I.P. Warnie, you will be missed. Satchin Tendulka, the great Indian, shocked, stand and miserable. Will miss you, Warnie. There was never a dull moment with you around on or off the field. We'll always treasure our on-field duels and off-field banter. You always had a special place for India

and Indians had a special place for you. Gone too young. Virac Koli, life is so fickle and unpredictable. I cannot process the passing of this great of our sport. And also a person I got to know off the field. RIP, greatest of all time, greatest to turn the cricket ball. And Ben Stokes says Australian legend, Rajasthan Royal's legend was an honour to know you and work with you.

This man is a legend. And Ian Botham, I've lost a great friend on and off the playing field. One of the best. My thoughts are with Jackson, Summer and Brooke. That's Shane Warn's children. R.I.P. Warnster, he says. Now, if we go back to when Shane Warn burst onto the scene in this country, it had to be his first ball in a test in England

and his first in Ashes cricket. It became known as the ball of the century. And here comes Shane Warn Off only two or three paces he bowls And Gatting is taken on the pace Bowled Well Gatting's still standing there He can't believe it

But that must have turned A very long way We haven't got a view of this But it took his off stump Gatting can't believe it That is Shane Warnes First Delivery in a test match in England He's comprehensively bowled Mike Gatting

It was the perfect leg break First ball in an Ashes series To do it I look back at and say Yes it was a fluke But I think it was meant to be And it did change my life, there was this, I was 22 or 23 years of age. And I didn't know how to cope with the

attention off the field. Like, I'd walk out of the hotel and there'd be, the whole team would walk out, but there'd be 20 photographers taking pictures of me. Well, that was Mike Gatting being dismissed in the 1993. Ashes test at Old Trafford and Shane Warn reflecting on that moment. And let's speak to Mike Gatting. Now, evening to you, Mike. Hey, Ella. What a very sad day and sad evening. And of course it's one of the first things that we thought about was that extraordinary moment when he burst onto the scene with his spiky blonde hair and his zinc cream everywhere

and that look of utter bemusement on your face. So how do you watch it often yourself? I have no need to. I have a picture on my wall, funnily enough, of the ball and me missing it and the stumps and people running down the wicket. So it's obviously something that I'm a part of history, which it's a lovely part of history,

being involved with the special person who enhanced and inspired lots and lots of people to watch and play cricket. I think he said on that interview you played, he wanted to get it down the other end. He wanted to spin it as much as he could. He wasn't quite sure where it was going to go, though. Sadly, nor did I.

And being quite a wide chip as well, it turned quite a bit, to get past all of me, and hit the tough of the off stump. You know, he was never short of confidence, but I think that took him to the next level and a bit more self-belief. And I think that launched the ladder that he climbing to greatness that he did, and he did get getting better. But the great thing about him was his love of the game, his dedication, his disciplines and just the will to win in any side played in,

but to have some fun at the same time. Jonathan, you were commentating on that ball alongside Trevor Bailey, weren't you? And could you take on board what you saw when he bowled that ball? Well, the point was we couldn't see it because we were, it always sounds a bit straining listening back to it because I was having to guess what had happened because we were behind them. So I had got the slipfieldsman, I got Ian Haley, the weekkeeper, and the vastness of Mike Gatting blocking off the ball. So we had no idea what had happened.

We couldn't see it. Yeah, we saw the ball pitch out. Well, we didn't see it pitch. So there's a fair amount of guesswork to try and work out what had happened until we saw a replay from the bowler's end. So you could actually see what had happened. I mean, you were really sort of stumbling around in the dark trying to commentate on it. But in a way, it works because you can,

you can sense the bemusement in my voice as to what could possibly have happened here even though you couldn't have seen it and that was obviously matched by Mike who I remember the next morning I turned up for work at Old Trafford and Michael was out there I'm pretty sure we had the grounds

were in a tape measure and you were sort of measuring how far this ball had spun I think it's fun enough to miss everything Agers as we will know I'm not sure how much it did but no it was a it was an amazing well it was an amazing ball

and it was an amazing moment for Warnie really Yeah well listen I mean I think that I guess just just touched on it there as well you know you just don't get to be that good by rocking up and you know having 10 minutes in the nets

sometimes we forget as well the amount of hours and practice and dedication that you have to go through to become that good at that art for a start off but I was playing in that game with Gat and And I think that we bowled first and I got a couple of wickets and turned the odd couple an inch of two and was feeling quite chuffed with myself.

And then we've all wandered off into the dressing room. And there was no analysts there or sort of DVDs of players and all this kind of stuff or videos and what have you. And so Shane Warren came on to bowl and we've all sort of huddled round the telly. You know, who's this bloke? Oh, he was some leg spinner. We didn't particularly know too much about him. and he's bowled that ball to gap and silence just came across the dressing room

and sort of one by one, all our mouths just sort of like sort of dropped open and our jaws hit the floor and I can remember, I think it was Robin Smith turned round to me and said, Tuffers, what have you been doing for the last two years, mate? And I said, oh my God, have we just seen what we've seen? I mean, what a delivery. And it wasn't just the amount that it spun, it was the dip and the swerve and the sort of in-swing to Gat, which opens you up.

He had so, he had it, it was probably the most perfect leg-spinning delivery that's ever been bold. I mean, it was just amazing. And then he tortured us for the next 10 of 15 years. Final thought to you, Mike. On an evening like this, it seems extraordinary that he is, that he's no longer with us, Shane Warn. but for you what will you remember most about him

after that moment I suppose the inspiration that he gave to many people you understand when he played at Hampshire all of a sudden we had

spinners in county cricket we had youngsters coming through we had people watching cricket they wanted to see this guy play cricket he made it entertaining, he made it fun that you could see him enjoying it you could see him using all his skill

and you know the very sad thing for me was that he never captained Australia because I think he would have been a fantastic captain he had all the attributes and I suppose the last last thing I'd say was you know sadly he's never saw a lot of him when he played and sadly they won't now

but he was a great man a good friend and yeah Absolutely, Mike. Thank you very much indeed. We're talking about Shane Warn. We're paying tribute. Jonathan Agnew is with us. Phil Tuffnell as well. We're going to hear from Pat Cash and we'll hear from the man who really allowed him to shine on the county stage as well. Rod Brandsgrove, the chairman of Hampshire, between now and eight o'clock. We've talked about the fact that he bowled some extraordinary bowls. That a wicket that of Mike Gattings was just, one of 708 wickets in test matches, plus 293 in one-day internationals as well. He was an extraordinary talent and just a brilliant sportsman in every sense. And 194 one-day internationals as well as all those test matches. World Cup winner at 1999.

Yeah, go on. He almost, that edge-baston match, 2004. he almost won that game for Australia. He never scored a test century. He did get a 99, but he had several half centuries. He was a really aggravating lower-order batsman who would often stand leg stumped just outside

and carve the ball away through the offside. But he almost got Australia over the line with a bat at that famous game at Edgebast in 2005. And as well... And a great slipper as well, Agers. Great catcher. Yeah, absolutely. So, I mean, incredible testing.

team, of course, as we know in the 90s, that dominant test team under, you know, Ricky Ponting was the last, but obviously Steve War before that, Mark Taylor. But apart from his record in tests, he was a World Cup winner, as we say, in 1999. And Stuart Law was his teammate and his roommate in the 1996 World Cup. And a little earlier, I asked him for his memories of Shane and his reaction to the news. To be honest, you know, we're still waiting, speaking to a few A few mates of mine were still waiting for the news to come out and say that it's a hope. It's hard to fathom right now. You know, he's such a young man with a long way to go.

It's tragic news and definitely thoughts with his loved ones and particularly his kids, who I know he loved dearly and his closest friends. But at the moment, it's sort of hard to believe. You're still pinching yourself to find out if it's, is it a dream? It's a really happen, but it's a shocking way to end the day here and where I am. When did you last see him? I saw him in England last year. He's with the 100 franchise, the London spirit.

So saw him around Lords. And typical warning, he's always been a larger-than-life character. And that's how he was that day. You know, he's full of goodness and a kind word here and there. So it's not easy one. When you consider, I played a lot of cricket with him, I played a room with him in the 96 World Cup in India. We're roommates and, you know, just to think that he's a year younger,

it sort of doesn't make any sense. What was he like as a roommate? No, he was good fun. He really was. He had a zest for life. You know, he played cricket on the field as hard as anyone I knew. And off the field, he wanted to enjoy himself to get away from the stresses and strains of cricket. And it's on a bad way to live your life.

And he lived it, the way that only Shane Warren could probably live it, he lived on a different parallel to us. It was strange. I remember playing a game against Queensland playing Victoria or in Melbourne. And at the end of the game, we went into the Victorian dressing room to have a beer and a chat. And after the game, as we always did back then. And you're walking in the dressing room.

And there's Russell Crow sitting in the corner. And, you know, we're sitting there flabbergasted the quality of his mates who are in the dressing room. and, you know, Shane thought nothing of it. That's just how he was. He was just one of those guys, you know, to room with him, you know, he'd be out, you know, mixing it with, with everybody around the hotel. And, you know, in World Cups, there's always, you know,

Bollywood superstars around. And he's just hanging on to them like, well, not hanging on to them. They're hanging on to him, basically. And he's just thinking, that's normal. And we're sitting back going, well, you know, it's a different life to what we live. And just finally, if there was one thing that you will remember him for, what would that be?

You know, people talk about his accolades on field. He's the wickets he took, the matches he's won. But the memory I've got of shown is definitely on field in front of his beloved MCG crowd playing in front of 85,000. When he came on to bowl, just when he just lifted his hat to hand to the umpire as he faced a great southern stand, just the roar of 60,000 people standing up in that stand cheering his name. And just the sense of your shirt almost flying off, you know, the roar of the crowd was so long. out and just something that I would never have experienced if I hadn't have been out there and he knew what it took to make those people happy to play with that sort of pressure as well as going to do what he did was just phenomenal and look he's a genius of his time

league spin bowling is the hardest thing to do on a cricket field when he's talking about cricket skill um it's probably the hardest discipline to master he not only mastered it but he took the mickey out of it actually made it look so easy and i'll always remember him as being just the guy who you turn to to win a game of cricket, no matter what situation, conditions, what have you. He was the one he was asking for the ball all the time. So an absolute legendary cricketer, you know, he's going to be missed, that's for sure, and a great life taken too soon.

Well, that was Stuart Law, former teammate of Shane Warn, who spoke to me a little bit earlier on from Bangladesh and just a couple of tributes from other former teammates of Shane Warn. The great Adam Gilchrist says, I'm numb. The highlight of my cricketing career was to keep wicket to Warnie. Best seat in the house to watch the maestro at work. I've often felt a tad selfish

that heals Ian Healy and I pretty much exclusively are the only ones who had that thrill and pleasure at test level, RIP Warnie. And Tom Moody says no words can describe Warnie was beyond the stars. A once in a lifetime entertainer

made our game magical. I just wanted to pick up Jonathan and Phil about what Stuart Law said there about the atmosphere at the MCG because he was such a proud Victorian wasn't he, Shane Warner and Agas, you and I, we went down to St Kilda

didn't we? We had lunch while we were out in Australia just a couple of months ago and that was his place, wasn't it? Really, Shane Warnett. It was that area where he grew up, sort of St Kilda and that's where he learnt his trade. Yeah, and he was a Victorian Melbourne man through and through

And when you've heard 80,000 people shouting his name at the MCG, I mean, he reveled in that. I don't think he ever felt any pressure as such about anything, really. And I think what's come through this evening talking about Shane is this fact that he was on a different level to most people as far as ability on the field was concerned. But that never showed in the man at all. And my fondest memories of Shane in a way for thinking about him

will be because those youngsters in the Australian team they won't have played with him and it's interesting hearing Jeff of course talk about that hammer blow but because Jane was a sort of person who at the start of every day working in the commentary box would be out there on the field he'd be doing him at the bowling

he'd be talking to that player about that and talking on them about this he has never stopped and so they will all have had time with Shane and they will all have had those moments and that's that's one hour where they're going to really miss him because every day every morning before play began

he was out there bustling around he was just such an he's such an enthusiast about everything but cricket in particular I think that's really shone through tonight is such a level and grounded person that living on this different

yeah this different parallel universe but nonetheless just so friendly and engaging all the time you played against him as you said Tuffers including in that famous test match when he made his ashes his debut, his first test match in this country. I watched a bit of the Amazon documentary earlier on that's literally only just come out and he was talking to us on Five Live about it just

a couple of months ago on the breakfast program. And in it, he says that one of his great weapons was intimidation and the fact that as soon as he had the ball in his hand and he stood at the top of his mark, he knew that he had a presence and he knew he had an intimidation factor and he said, I would not have wanted to play against me because I was nasty. Did he Did you see any of that as an opponent? Well, yeah, I mean, you know, sometimes nasty is a strange word, isn't it? But, I mean, he was up for the fight and he'd use all the weapons in his toolbox to make sure that he got the win. It was as simple as that.

Whether that be a little bit of sledging, a little bit of Mickey taking, a little bit of posturing or anything. You know, he would do anything to make sure that he got Australia over that line and to win. And we keep going on about test matches, but I mean, you just said there as well. I can remember a couple of fantastic spells in World Cups, you know, the one I think against Pakistan at Lords in the final when, you know, he had to come on and really drag Australia over the line there. And the one in South, against South Africa at Edgbaston, you know. So, as you say, when he came on to Bowley, he had that sort of, he had that sort of ability to sort of, to sort of, to sort of, imparting the batsman that you really don't know what you're doing with the batting around, do you, mate?

You know what I mean? And it made you sort of feel a little bit stupid, you know what I mean, because you didn't quite know, and these are the best players in the world, you know, absolutely world-class batsman. And he had that sort of, you know, like, oh, come on, mate, you know what I mean? You've missed that by five inches. You're not picking me. You know what I mean?

You know, come on, mate. I thought you were meant to be good. How much you average it? You know what I mean? He was just on you and sort of like, you know, I wouldn't say nasty, but I mean, listen, he did. So, you know, I'm sure there was a little bit of, a little bit of sort of like, you know, harsh talking, but also it was that kind of like, well, I'm just keeping out you out here until, you know, I want to get you out. And that's kind of what he made batsman feel. And I can

remember the guys coming in, you know, in test matches, you know, that they would have survived the session, you know what I mean? And what Steve Waugh used to do at the start of every session, you'd put Warren and McGraw on. And you'd see the guy. going out after lunch or after tea like that, just going, we're just not going to get anything to hit here. You know what I mean? It's going to be such hard work. And he'd just ground you down.

And then there'd be that little bit of brilliance or that almost making you feel a little bit embarrassed to be out in the middle. You know what I mean? And you'd come down the wicket and have a great big hack at one, miss it and stumped. You know, he had that great ability

just to just to sort of like create that theatre. It was something just. And a couple of times, I've been down the other end, actually, and I'm sort of like the non-striker, and I'm watching in bowl, and I was almost mesmerised myself, you know, just about the way he spun the ball, his walk, he's sort of like those two sort of steps up, and then a hop and a bowl, and you'd hear it fizz down the pitch, and he'd follow through, and he'd be in your face. It was, it was a wonderful thing, you know, talking about Gilchrist having the best seat in the

house, but, you know, just to be out there as well, it was fantastic. Yeah, so many tributes. There was someone I must just mention Ella quickly. I've mentioned Terry Jenna. Terry Jenna, who again was a risk spinner for Australia, who was really mentored Shane Warren when Shane was starting out. And he was a, it could be a bit of a naughty boy, Shane. And actually, I mean, they kicked him out of the academy in Australia

in his very early days. But it was Terry who saw what Shane could become. And it was Terry Jenna, who was such a lovely, soft, gentle fellow, who really devoted so much. time and energy to developing Shane Warren because he knew he knew what he could become very patient he was he just knew that he you know he really had to be persevered with because otherwise who knows what what might happen you know because he was they they they kicked him

out but Terry saw it Terry saw what he had and and I mean I think Shane would be the first to say that Terry Jenna really put him on that path absolutely it's interesting we talk about the influence that he's had, Shane Worn, on cricketers all over the world. And Liam Livingston, the England cricketer, posted a picture of his new kit today. His new squad number is number 23, and he says it all came from one man, my idol growing up, the reason I bowl leg spin, and the reason I now wear 23, sad day for the world of cricket, RIP, Shane Warn, a true cricketing legend. And Ian Bell said, there are no words, a hero growing up, and the greatest player I ever played

again against. I can't believe it. My thoughts are with his loved ones. And Ellie, that's funny, isn't it? You know what I mean? And he's a hero of mine. Yeah. And the guys that he played against, you know, he was all their heroes, which is a very funny place to be, you know what I mean, when you're out there in the middle of a war. Yes. And you're sort of fighting for your country and what have you. And you want to play well and you want to get runners. But actually, you know, you're just going, Wow, yeah, it's amazing. Well, Shane Warren played for Australia.

He played for Victoria. He played for Hampshire between 2000 and 2007 and was captain for three seasons, and there is a stand named in his honour at the Ageas Bowl. Chairman Rod Bransgrove was the man who brought him to Hampshire. The shockers died down a little bit, but we're all just deeply shocked and very, very sad indeed. You know, we've lost a massive part of our history,

but more important than that, just a great, great friend and it's hard to come to terms with, frankly. Just take us back to how you ended up making Shane Warn very much part of the Hampshire story. He'd been with Hampshire for a season prior to when I signed him as a sort of long-term player. His impact was utterly colossal.

He brought with him not just the genius of his cricket, but this amazing character, this philosophy that he can win a cricket match from any position. No matter where you are in a game, the game can still be won. You never, ever give up that opportunity of winning. And he instilled that in the team. And from 2005 onwards, Hampshire became a really competitive professional cricket team in all forms of cricket. And it was almost entirely down to his attitude, his confidence, his ablions, and, of course, in no small measure to his guild.

It's interesting, isn't it, that a man who was such an icon of Australian cricket has become somebody whose name is on a stand at the cricket ground in Southampton. Would you say that he is very much as loved in Southampton as he is in Victoria or at the MCG? I just know the reverence that we have for him in this country and at this club in particular he's been more famously reported in Australia for some of his off-field exploits but at the end of the day he was a larrikin

he made some mistakes he was the first person to admit it in fact he used to say to me quite often that just because I occasionally do stupid things it doesn't make me a stupid person and I thought his self-regard in that respect was spot on he got it exactly right you know he made some mistakes he was human but

but what a human being he was. He lifted most people around him most of the time. And I think we just feel very privileged to have known him. And he has, of course, many, many friends, many friends and a family as well. And, you know, and you talk about the mistakes that he made. And he openly said that he put his family second sometimes, that he didn't spend the time with his kids that he would have wanted to. But, I mean, it's heartbreaking to think that at 52.

that's the end of his story with his children. Yeah, I know. And I'm absolutely heartbroken for the kids. I mean, obviously know them. And I know the relationship he was building with them in more recent years. And particularly, of course, with his son Jackson, who is growing up now. And they spent so much quality time together in recent years. I know they're going to be going through a terrible, terrible time at the moment.

And, of course, we all feel for them. It's very difficult. You know, most parents actually would say, that during the period of their careers, they probably weren't perfect parents. You know, we have other things in our lives. And I think it was the same with Shane, but I think he did make up for a lot of that after his retirement.

Well, that was Rand Bransgrove, the chairman of Hampshire, talking to me a little bit earlier on. And, of course, people in Australia are just waking up to the news now. It's, what is it now, around about 6 o'clock in the morning, just before six o'clock in the morning on the East Coast. And he had an impact not just in cricket. Hugh Jackman, the actor, says, like you, I am in shock to wake to the news that Shane Warren has passed away.

I'm grateful to have known him and to have witnessed his once-in-a-generation talent. My heartfelt sympathies to his family and close friends at this incredibly difficult time. Rest well, Shane. Well, Pat Cash, Wimbledon Champion, was a friend, and here's how he found out the news. Well, I'm in Mexico, the WTA tournament coaching my player and woke up to the news.

You know, texts from everybody. Obviously, they knew that I had a connection with Shane, though. I wouldn't say we're close mates, but we're admirers of each other and used to hang out at Wimbledon and play a bit of tennis and things like that. And, you know, I don't know. I'm finding it hard to actually come to terms with this at the moment. It really is just an absolute shock. Last, I was texting him during the summer in Australia,

obviously over the cricket season, trying to work out how to connect. I mean, he's harder to get hold of than anybody. I'm busy, but he's super busy, but we still, you know, we sent a few texts back and forwards about the cricket and pretty regularly in contact throughout the year and just trying to, you know, catch up and have a drink and say hello. So, you know, I'm just absolutely shocked.

He was a bit of a tennis fan, wasn't he? And he could have, he kind of think he quite fancied himself as a decent tennis player. He was indeed. He was actually one of the probably three-ranked player in Victoria in the state. He's a little bit younger than me, but there were some very good tennis players around there. So I think he was actually tossing up whether, you know, what to play. Football, cricket, football as an Aussie rules, or tennis.

You know, he was just a phenomenal talent. He could play any sport. His hand-eye coordination is amazing. You know, I played, had a hit with tennis with him a few years ago. And, you know, he said, oh, I haven't played for about 10 years or something. I said, come on. And he just hit the ball unbelievably cleanly. And as you can imagine, he served was something else.

His arm action, it was. And maybe he brought his tennis into his bowling or he's bowling into his tennis or whatever it happened to be. But, you know, he just came out there and started hitting the ball incredibly well. And I said, you've got to be kidding me. You haven't played for five years or ten years?

No, I mean, a couple of times, but that's about it. And I was like, wow, this guy is a talent. He's just a freak of an athlete, really, and an incredible competitor. He was always wanted to know what the players were doing and, you know, the edge of this and what's this racket and how can I improve and do this? And, you know, what are the players doing now?

You know, he was just a, it was always, you know, it was a wealth of knowledge and always inquisitive and trying to, you know, incorporate that into his coaching, which, of course, cricket coaching, which, of course, he loved and was very, very good at. And in a country that reveres its sporting heroes, where would he stand, would you say? Oh, look, he's right up there, absolutely.

You know, for somebody like myself, you know, I constantly go on to YouTube and just watch some of these bowling, just for fun. You know, I flick through the Aussie rules sports and, you know, all sorts of sports. And it'll pop up regularly, obviously, the YouTube people know that I like cricket. And there's Glenn McGrath or Shane Warns 6 for 10 or something ridiculous, you know, bowling. And, you know, we're just all fans. And, you know, we'll flick this through to a bunch of the, you know, chat grooves and say, oh, check this out.

I just saw Warnie. and then somebody will send this back and say, oh, check this ball out. And, you know, he was absolutely legend. I mean, he's, I suppose he's almost an epitamine of Australian, what we regard as an Australian sports star. You know, he was a bit rough around the edges. Ced was very, very honest and open.

He has blonde hair, surfy sort of beach type of look, extremely competitive and loved his time with the boys and his mates, you know, And he really is the epitome of Australian sport. And, you know, as he said, very talented and incredibly competitive. And it was always, you know, looking to win. That's Wimbledon champion, Pat Cash on the cricketing legend, Shane Warn. Jonathan, Phil, we've got a couple of minutes just to wrap up, really.

And, Agas, it just makes you think, doesn't it? Listening to Pat there, how quiet the media centres around the country are going to be next year, because, I mean, or next summer, because he was such a big part of our lives in the last few years. Of course, and he'd blow through lords on his way to a poker tournament somewhere in the States or something, and he'd do a test match on the way through, and then he'd do another test match, he'd done his poker. He never stopped. And, you know, for me, of course, watching Shane warm bowling was something that I'll never ever forget. It was an absolute privilege to watch him bowl, because there's been no one like him.

but it's his personality that I will miss most, this enthusiasm and the fact that he never did change. I remember a conversation with him a few years ago. It was in his Elizabeth Hurley days, I think, when he was talked with this massive enthusiasm and excitement about a new pair of shoes that he had bought. And there they were, there were sort of pointy ones, a sort of, you know, patent leather-type shoes.

And he just talked with such enthusiasm about this new pair of shoes. And so you can imagine if he's going to talk about a pair of shoes, what energy he brings to cricket and to his life And that is what Shane Worn had. How will you remember him, Tuffers, in the end? Final word. Yeah, I'm just going to say, great competitor, great bloke, great energy.

He was a false of nature. Bowling Shane. Bowling, how many times have I heard that? Bowling Shane. Bowling warning. Yeah. You want to top now. I mean, it'll be sorely missed.

It's, it's already. Absolutely. And I think for all of us, Jonathan, the fact that we are, we're talking about Shane Warn in the past tense tonight. It feels just unreal, doesn't it? And I just also want to mention Rod Marsh again because there's an awful lot of horrible stuff going in the world at the moment. But my word, the cricket world has had a couple of hammer blows in the last 24 hours.

Absolutely. Look, we will talk, I'm sure, as we go through the summer about Shane Warn. And I just wonder if there is, if you could pick out one moment, which sums the man up. I mean, for me, as I said, it was at the Oval on that. on that famous day when England won the Ashes in 2005. And the fact that in an era of great Australian cricketers, he was one of the very greatest, was he?

Top draw. Absolutely top draw. One moment for me. I think it was at Trent Bridge. Do you remember when they'd won the Ashes and he was standing outside with the stump over his head, waving it around? Yeah. On the standing on the chairs.

Oh, great fun. Good man, top man. Yeah. For me, it'll always be the gatting ball for me simply because, of course, I was there trying to commentate on it and, you know, unable to fathom out what had happened. And that's, you know, his first ball, that's a first ball in an ashes context. His first ball he ever bowled in England in a test match. And he produces that.

Unplayable ball, drift, spin, bounce. It was, you know, that was the proper announcement of Shane Warren. It was. We've been lucky to live in the Shane. Warren era. Thank you. To Jonathan, to Phil, to Jeff and to all my guests. We began the hour by hearing from the man himself, and that's how we'll finish. Shane Warren, on the real him. I think the real me is, I do prefer just be on the couch with my kids hanging at home. That's why I love that in tracky pants. I really do enjoy that. I love being with my friends

and just hanging out. The other stuff's a bit of fun, but I'd much prefer to have the quiet life and all that. But I think it's about a balance. I think life is about a balance. You have too much couch time and too much chilling like that. You crave a bit of social stuff. And you have too much social stuff, then you crave being at home. But me, I love my children to death. I love my family and my close friends. I'd do anything for them. I value loyalty. Loyalty is some of the most important things in my life that if you've got me as a mate, I'll be loyal to you for the rest of my life no matter what and I expect the same in return and I'm probably too quick to judge people that if they do do the wrong thing by me or make a bit I burn them that's it I cut them off I know it's

probably a bad trait of mine but I just value loyalty so strongly but yeah I'm just a quiet guy yes I've lived an extraordinary life and met some amazing people and hung with some amazing people but in the end of the day I love my kids I'm family and friends and I like to just just chill Radio Podcasts.