Shane Warne was a larger than life charecter. Not like your ideal cricketer, he had more to live by beyond numbers and stats. Without a doubt, Warne was and will always remain one of the best cricketers world has ever seen because not only he was a champion leg spinner but also a great ambassador of this beautiful game.
1) Shane Warne Had German Ancestry
Shane Warne’s connection to Germany is through his mother, Bridgette Warne, who was born in Germany. Warne considered applying for German citizenship in order to continue representing English county Hampshire as a “home” player, since cricketers with a European Union passport cannot be considered overseas players. However, Warne later put an end to speculation, stating that he would always remain an Australian and would not be “Adolf Warne”.
2) Early Age Interest in Australian Rules Football
Shane Warne played Australian rules football in his early age. He played five games for the St Kilda Football Club’s under-19 team during the cricket off-season in 1987. Shane Warne played as a full forward for St Kilda’s under-19 team. Only in England Warne developed his interst for cricket when he was in Bristol for 6 months, playing for Imperial Cricket Club.
3) An Addiction for Ciggerattes
Shane Warne loved smoking cigarettes. He was known to be a heavy smoker and often smoked during his cricket career. In 2006, he was asked to choose between cigarettes and basic essentials during a training camp in the Australian outback, and he chose cigarettes over underwear and socks. He also smoked during the West Indies tour in 1999, despite being paid to give up the habit. Warne’s smoking habit was a recurring issue throughout his career, and he struggled to quit despite efforts to do so.
4) An Uncanny Bookie Connection
Shane Warne was involved in betting and bookie connections. He was fined by the Australian Cricket Board (ACB) in 1995 for providing information to an Indian bookmaker during the 1994 tour of Sri Lanka. The betting scandal involving Shane Warne and Mark Waugh did not significantly impact their relationships with their teammates. They kept their dealings with the bookmaker secret, and their teammates were unaware of the arrangement. The players did not discuss their involvement with their teammates or management, fearing disapproval.
5) Not a Good Friendship with Steve Waugh
Shane Warne felt that Steve Waugh’s leadership style was overly critical and focused on personal issues rather than team performance. Warne described Waugh as “niggling” and believed that Waugh’s actions were motivated by jealousy rather than a genuine desire to improve the team. Warne also felt that Waugh did not support him during his struggles with his shoulder injury and subsequent poor form, which led to feelings of betrayal and disappointment.
6) Stand Named After Shane Warne in Rival Country
One stand of iconic Rose Bowl stadium is named after Shane Warne. He played for Hampshire for 7 years from 2000 to 2007 and Rose Bowl is home ground of Hampshire so now you know why. Shane Warne shared a big time in England, had plenty of friends among English players and always entertained when he played against England. There is also a grand stand named after Shane Warne at the MCG which was his home ground.
7) Brief but Unforgettable Television Appearance
Shane Warne has appeared in several TV shows and movies throughout his career. Warne made a cameo appearance in this Australian sitcom. Warne starred as himself in this two-part Australian drama series, which aired on Channel 9 and 9Now. He was also part of a television panel show named Question of Sport broadcasted on BBC
Shane Warne described himself in words: “I smoked, I drank, and I played a little cricket.” Such was the life of a man who dedicated his life to beautiful game of cricket. On a honest note, he could have been anything he wanted because he had something magical about him.
