"The greatest cricketer to ever play the game" - Cricket continues celebratation of Shane Warne

Nasser Hussain, Ian Healy and Meg Lanning join the warm tributes to the former Australia leg-spinner, who died on Friday (March 4) aged 52

Tributes to Shane Warne, the ex-Australia leg-spinner who has passed away aged 52, have shown no sign of letting up as the cricket fraternity continues to salute one of the greats of the modern-day game.

Warne died on Friday (March 4) after suffering a heart attack while at a villa on the Thai island of Koh Samui.

It sparked an immediate outpouring of support and eulogies from across the sport, with Sanchin Tendulkar, Sir Vivian Richards, Pat Cummins, Virat Kohli and Joe Root among those to offer words of condolence.

Nasser Hussain had many Ashes battles with Warne over their respective careers, facing off 17 times in Tests. A six-time winner of the famous urn, Warne regularly got the better of the former England captain in the longest format, dismissing him 11 times - the second most of any player.

Latterly, the pair combined regularly in the Sky Sports commentary box.

"For me, he was arguably the greatest cricketer to ever play the game," he told Sky Sports. "The game is about entertaining people and there was never a dull moment when Shane Warne had the ball in his hand. He was absolutely genius.

"Some people are brilliant at the game, some people are genius, some people have fight. Shane Warne had everything in abundance."

He added: "You speak to cricketers, you look at the reaction, he is Shane Warne. There will never be another Shane Warne."

"He had all the things a cricketer needed, a lot of self-confidence, a lot of ability, the discipline, passion and desire.

Ian Healy had a front-row seat for some of Warne's finest spells, including the delivery which bowled Mike Gatting and earned the title 'Ball of the Century'.

"I say he's the best bowler there's ever been and have said that for some time," Healy, who stood behind the stumps in 74 of Warne's 154 Tests, told A Current Affair.

"What he did with leg-spin, which is the most difficult … in cricket is unbelievable and that's why the next one won't be coming along quickly.

"But he was a rough house too, he was a genius that played like a worker and he was down with the teammates."

Speaking of that delivery in 1993 at Old Trafford, Gatting told Sky: "Well, it was a bit too good for me, as he was for many others who suffered the same fate. He always said thanks mate for starting off my career."

He added: "He had all the things a cricketer needed, a lot of self-confidence, a lot of ability, the discipline, passion and desire.

"Above all he had time to enjoy it. He had great fun playing cricket and resonated with a lot of youngsters. The inspirational leg-spin he bowled I am sure inspired many, many guys to take up leg-spin bowling."

Ricky Ponting captained Australia during the second half of Warne's international career, taking charge of 77 Tests and 229 ODIs, and said he was "someone you could always count on".

Hard to put this into words. I first met him when I was 15 at the Academy. He gave me my nickname.

We were teammates for more than a decade, riding all the highs and lows together.

Through it all he was someone you could always count on, someone who loved his family... pic.twitter.com/KIvo7s9Ogp

— Ricky Ponting AO (@RickyPonting) March 5, 2022

"Hard to put this into words," Ponting wrote on Twitter. "I first met him when I was 15 at the Academy. He gave me my nickname (Punter).

"We were teammates for more than a decade, riding all the highs and lows together.

"Through it all he was someone you could always count on, someone who loved his family, someone who would be there for you when you needed him and always put his mates first.

"The greatest bowler I ever played with or against.

"RIP King. My thoughts are with Keith, Bridgette, Jason, Brooke, Jackson and Summer."

Australia women's captain Meg Lanning reacted to the news at the toss ahead of the World Cup win over England in Hamilton.

"Losing Rod and Shane over the last couple of days has been very sad and our thoughts go out to the family and friends," she said. "They were two icons of the game who made massive impacts and certainly their mark has been left."

'He was magic' 🌟

Isa Guha delivers an emotional few words on Warnie 😢

📺 Watch the #ShaneWarne tribute on @Foxtel CH501 or stream on @kayosports pic.twitter.com/poRH9qsL9G

— Fox Cricket (@FoxCricket) March 5, 2022

Isa Guha, who played eight Tests for England, was another former player to share the mic with Warne during his career as a commentator.

Speaking on Fox Sports, Guha told of the role he played during the early part of her media career.

"He really supported me on my journey as a commentator, as a broadcaster, and I’ll never, ever forget that," she said.

"But I know he is someone who had tremendous gratitude for everything he’d achieved, the people he had met on his journey, his family.

"He always talked about his family. And he was happy with life."

England's all-time leading wicket-taker James Anderson continued the tributes from current players, saying that Warne "read the game like no one else".

"He was simply one of the greatest cricketers to have ever lived," he wrote on Instagram. "Shane was kind, generous, funny and had time for everyone. No matter your team, people loved him - even if he was ripping through your side’s batting order. 

"All you could do was watch in awe as he changed the entire game in front of your eyes in the space of a few deliveries. He inspired us, he made all of us fall in love with cricket and we can’t believe that we’ll be without his insight, humour and company the next time we’re watching.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by James Anderson (@jimmya9)

"Warney read the game like no one else. He was a true one off, and we’re sending all of our love to his family."

Meanwhile, Pakistan prime minister Imran Khan, who captained his country to World Cup glory in 1992, wrote on Twitter: "Saddened to learn of the sudden passing of cricketer Shane Warne, a bowling genius who took the art of leg spin to new heights. He will be missed across the cricketing world."

Warne marshalled Rajasthan Royals as they won the inaugural Indian Premier League in 2008 as coach and captain.

A statement on the franchise's Twitter page read: "Shane Warne. The name stands for magic. Our first Royal; a man who made us believe that impossible is just a myth. A leader who walked the walk, talked the talk, and turned underdogs into champions. A mentor who turned everything he touched into gold.

"We're completely heartbroken, as are millions of cricket fans all around the world. Warnie, you're forever going to be our captain, leader, Royal. Rest in peace, legend."

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