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Shane Warne has hit back at fellow Australian great Ian Chappell who has suggested his cricket all-stars are too old.
Fronted by Warne and Sachin Tendulkar, the three-match Cricket All-Stars T20 exhibition series features retired greats including Ricky Ponting, Glenn McGrath, Wasim Akram, Brian Lara and Muttiah Muralitharan facing off in the United States.
Chappell questioned the value of the series, which will also include 52-year-old West Indian fast bowling legends Courtney Walsh and Curtly Ambrose.
“I’ve always thought that the reason for retiring is that you wanted to stop playing,” Chappell told ESPN Cricinfo.
“The other thing I don’t understand is why people want to watch older cricketers.
“At the end of his time with the Melbourne Stars, Shane Warne was struggling in the field as you would expect with someone in their 40s.
“Your back gives you trouble, you can’t bend over as easily, catches that you used to take very easily you can’t get down very far to take them.
“You start to look like what you are – an old cricketer.”
Warne said Chappell was one of very few who had taken a negative view of the series.
“It’s a bit harsh I think for Chaps to say that,” Warne told ESPN Cricinfo.
“Chaps has been one of the biggest influences on my career so it’s disappointing to hear that.
“I would have thought he would have seen the bigger picture about spreading the game of cricket globally, and that actually we’re doing a good thing if we make sure these games are fun and entertaining.”
Warne said he performed “pretty well” when he last played with the Stars in the BBL, adding many of the players were only recently retired.
“There are a lot of people in America that have never seen some of their idols play,” Warne said.
“They’ve got their chance for the first time to come to the stadiums and actually see some of their heroes play. I think that’s a very exciting thing.
“I think it’s disappointing that Ian has that view.”
The Cricket All-Stars Series will be played over three matches in New York, Houston and Los Angeles next month.
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