Shane Warne: Who is the Australian cricket legend? Everything you need to know about Shane Warne’s life and career

The cricket legend died at the age of 52 from a suspected heart attack on March 4, 2022. He was found unresponsive in his villa in Thailand.

Many people have paid tribute to Warne, including the official England Cricket team who posted on Twitter: “One of the greatest of all-time. A legend. A genius. You changed cricket. RIP Shane Warne.”

Comedian, actor and broadcaster, Stephen Fry, said: “Heartbroken to wake to news of the death of Shane Warne - heart was what he was all about; a huge heart and, of course, matchlessly dazzling skill with a cricket ball.

“He single-handedly (wristedly) put the art of spin back where it belonged - at the top of cricket. A true great.”

Piers Morgan said: “Absolutely devastated to hear that Shane Warne has died from a heart attack aged just 52. He was a genius cricketer, a supreme entertainer, a fantastic bloke and a great loyal friend for many years.

“Just gutting news. RIP Warnie, I loved every minute in your company.”

Former cricketer who represented the West Indies cricket team, Sir Vivian Richards, said: “Unbelievable. I am shocked to the core. This can’t be true…

“Rest In Peace, Shane Warne. There are no words to describe what I feel right now. A huge loss for cricket.”

Early life and career of Shane Warne

Warne was born to German-born parents, Bridgette and Keith Warne in Upper Ferntree Gully, Victoria, the outer suburb of Melbourne.

He attended high school from grade seven to nine, after which he was offered a sports scholarship to attend Mentone Grammar School.

Between 1983 to 1984, he represented University of Melbourne Cricket Club in the then Victorian Cricket Association under-16 Dowling Shield competition; he bowled a mixture of leg-spin and off-spin and was skilful at lower-order batsman.

He then went on to join the St Kilda Cricket Club near Black Rock, where he lived and began in the lower elevens and across many seasons, he progressed to the first eleven.

During the cricket off-season in 1987, Warne played five games of Australian rules football for the St Kilda Football Club’s under-19 team.

Following the 1988 Victorian Football League season, he focussed on cricket and was later chosen to train at the Australian Cricket Academy in 1990 in Adelaide.

He became a professional cricket player when he joined Accrington Cricket Club of the Lancashire League for the 1991 season.

Since then he went on to become a great bowler, taking 73 wickets at 15.4 runs each.

He made his top cricket debut in February 1991, when he took 0/61 and 1/41 for Victoria against Western Australia at the Junction Oval in Melbourne.

International career and fame

Shane’s top notch international career spanned 15 years, during which time he took 708 Test wickets, which continues to be the highest in Australia’s history, and the second highest of all time, behind another great cricket player, Muttiah Muralitharan from Sri Lanka.

Warne was named as one of the Wisden Cricketers of the Year in the 1994 Wisden Cricketers’ Almanack. He was the Wisden Leading Cricketer in the World in 1997 and was also named Wisden Leading Cricketer in the World for the year of 2004.

He retired from international cricket in January 2007 at the end of Australia’s 5-0 Ashes series victory over England.

Warne has often worked as a cricket commentator, mainly on Australia’s Nine Network and in 2013 he was inducted into the ICC Cricket Hall of Fame.

Shane Warne and Liz Hurley

The two stars were spotted kissing in 2010 and made the headlines. They enjoyed a three-year relationship and in 2011 they got engaged, before going their separate ways in 2013.

Shane Warne’s cause of death

The news of Warne’s death came shortly after the passing of fellow Australian cricket idol, Rod Marsh, who passed away in the early hours of March 4 at the age of 74.

Warne died after suffering from a suspected heart attack.

His management company MPC Entertainment said: “It is with great sadness, we advise that Shane Warne passed away of a suspected heart attack in Koh Samui, Thailand, today, Friday, March 4.

“Shane was found unresponsive in his villa and despite the best efforts of medical staff, he could not be revived. The family requests privacy at this time and will provide further details in due course.”