In an already difficult week for Australian cricket, the legendary Shane Warne passed away aged 52 on Friday.
Warne suffered a suspected heart attack while on holiday in Thailand and his death follows the passing of Rod Marsh, another icon of the game.
Here, Standard Sport’s Will Macpherson looks at the greatest deliveries of Warne’s career.
To Mike Gatting, Old Trafford 1993
The Gatting Ball, The Ball of the Century. Ridiculous, really.
After a tough debut, Warne was fast making a name for himself with big performances against the West Indies (including an incredible flipper to get Richie Richardson) and New Zealand. It was the Ashes that would come to define him, though, and he immediately made his mark.
His first ball in England was to Mike Gatting in Manchester. The ball pitched miles outside his leg stump, ragged hard, and hit the top of off, ghosting past the portly veteran’s defence. Gatting left baffled.
The world had been put on notice.
To Alec Stewart, the Gabba 1994
The flipper was one of Warne’s most famous variations. This one, to Alec Stewart, was a classic. Short, but skidding on from the front of the hand, it bowled him through the cut shot.
To Andrew Strauss, Edgbaston 2005 (twice)
Strauss would become a key name in Warne’s story – and eventually a good friend. In 2005, Warne dismissed Strauss with a stunning delivery in the first innings at Edgbaston that spun a mile from round the wicket to bowl him as he tried to cut.
In the second innings, Warne found an even better ball to bowl Strauss once more. Again from round the wicket, he spun a ball so far from the rough that Strauss went to leave it, but was bowled behind his legs, leaving bemused.
Remarkable.
To Andrew Strauss, MCG 2006
Strauss bowled, again. Not a particularly iconic ball, but an iconic dismissal.
A floaty leggie deceived the opener in the flight, bowling him through the gate as he advanced. With it, Warne reached 700 Test wickets, becoming the first man to do so. It was the perfect stage for the moment, too: Boxing Day, with a packed house celebrating the Urn regained in three matches, at his home ground the MCG. Magic.
To Brendon McCullum, in the Big Bash
Bringing some stardust to the early years of the BBL, with Liz Hurley watching on from a corporate box with his kids, Warne remained absolutely box office. He had a legendary argument with pantomime villain Marlon Samuels, but this delivery was even better.
Warne, miced up for the broadcasters, is bowling for Melbourne Stars against Brisbane Heat’s Brendon McCulluym, a Kiwi legend. McCullum and his team are going nicely, so Warne decides to explain exactly how he is going to get him out.
“He might try to shape a sweep, or maybe go inside out again,” he says. “I might try and slide one in there, fast.” Next ball, he slides on in there, fast. McCullum misses his sweep, and is bowled round the legs.
