When Shane Warne walked off the Sydney Cricket Ground after his final Test match in January 2007, there wouldn’t have been a spectator in the ground who didn’t realise they were witnessing the exit of one of the greats.
Warne is the best leg-spinner the world has ever seen and is ever likely to see.
The Victorian was the answer to almost every problem the team faced from his emergence as a Test cricketer in 1992 until his exit at the SCG that day.
His exploits with the ball helped fans forget the many off-field incidents, but on that day in Sydney as he waved goodbye, few if any cared about his past.
In fact, each drama only lasted until the next bit of magic was produced with the ball.
His ability to make competent batsmen look like park cricketers was unparalleled and while the good times rolled fans forgave and forgot.
Warne was the ultimate people’s champion. He was the ordinary bloke capable of extraordinary feats on a cricket field, but now the public seems to be turning against him.
Exactly why needs examining. What is so different about the Warne of 2013 to the one who thrilled us all for 15 years?
By his own admission his career was tinged with controversy.
In 1998 he confessed, along with Mark Waugh, to providing pitch and weather details to a bookmaker in 1994.
In 2003, he tested positive to a banned diuretic and was suspended from cricket for a year.
One of the shrewdest tactical minds the game has ever seen was also seen as too big of a risk to be installed as the Australian captain because of several off-field scandals.
Yet, we loved him all the same.
We cheered when he left batsmen befuddled with a ripping leg-spinner. We marvelled as he out-witted another with a wrong-un and flat out confused others with a flipper.
The off-field drama didn’t seem to matter as long as the wickets kept falling.
Now, Warne provides a modest return in the Big Bash League, gets in a stoush with Marlon Samuels and doesn’t put his name down as skipper on a team-sheet and we’re outraged?
Warne’s career survived so many sagas that it seems odd for people to turn against him now.
The exchange with Samuels was a terrible look for the game.
This season, viewers were taken closer to the action than ever before and got a little more than they bargained for.
Is it really the first time a player has let fly with loose lips on the field?
Why are we surprised when Warne does something out of the ordinary in 2013 when it hardly left us stunned a decade ago?
A legacy can only be damaged if behavioural patterns start to change dramatically.
Social media might have given his one million followers on twitter a previously inaccessible insight into the man away from the field but, apart from the loss of a few kilograms, is he really a different person to the one we loved?
He was never going to be shy and insular in retirement because he wasn’t that way during his career.
The magic might’ve stopped or at least got less frequent, but perhaps we have changed while Warne has stayed the same.
Mango Jack
Guest
Luke, you might want to re-think this article in light of Warnie's "plan" just released. Still think his legacy hasn't been damaged?
John
Guest
While I fully agree that Warne was a once a generation bowler and I am so privileged that it was my generation that got to watch him. I disagree with Luke as I don't think he actually bowled a great wrong un and certainly after his shoulder operation hardly ever a flipper. It was his freakish ability to bowl with relentless accuracy and the variation he put on his leg spinner and the top spinner that made him great.
The no. Three
Guest
Shane Warne is a Fool and a social poser, therefore in my view, a Muppett. Now a hasbeen. When she chews him up and spits him out, he will pipe down then, and become wise.. Thankfully never became captain too.
langou
Roar Guru
“Yet, we loved him all the same.” “We cheered when he left batsmen befuddled with a ripping leg-spinner. We marvelled as he out-witted another with a wrong-un and flat out confused others with a flipper.” Luke, you need to get out more and extend your social circle if you think Warne was universally loved. I’m sure there were debates in every office and every dinner party about what people really thought of Warnie and for so many Australians it wouldn’t have been positive. No doubt heaps of people loved the bloke but heaps couldn’t stand him – in fact, disliking the whole Australian test team wasn’t uncommon back then (or now even). For every person like Tenash that couldn’t care less about off field behaviour, there was someone like Andy Roo who found it hard to support a bloke they felt was a fairly ordinary person.
Bones506
Roar Guru
Amazing cricketer but an utterly flawed human. Having 1 million followers (Twitter) helps him vindicated his, more often than not, incorrect and uninformed views on life. This was highlighted by the cycling incident last year when he blamed the cyclist for hitting his car, only to be found to be completely lying as other motorists gave evidence that did not support Warne's claims. Warne's only saving grace was his ability to spin a ball. had he not been so gifted he would have been forgotten long ago.
boes
Roar Pro
To me he's a bit like Maradonna, arguably one of the greatest ever on the field and off the field a goose. He was the most captivating cricketer I have seen live or watched on TV. The rubbish with Samuels was gamesmanship that got out of hand - its happened before, will happen again in some shape or form. The disgusting final act in that piece was the conduct of the entire Stars team after Samuels was hurt and the lack of regard for his well being.
jameswm
Guest
Yeah Punter was about 20 when that happened, but I haven't heard the incident described like that. He took stock, got off the piss, and grew up.
jameswm
Guest
I think he means we loved him as the flawed genius he is/was.
Jason
Guest
Take out Zimbabwe and Bangladesh tests and Warne has 691 wickets at 25.4 and MM has 624 wickets at 24.9.
Chui
Guest
Two things about that clp. Having never watched in such slow motion, I've never noticed how far to leg Gatting takes strike. Secondly, this clip finishes far too early. Some of the best stuff is Gatting's examination of the trajectory before and after it pitches. But Warne is still a goose :)
Andy_Roo
Roar Guru
First a reply to the article itself, Luke, I'm sure many people don't have and never have had a high opinon of Shane Warne as a person. I certainly never have had and to say that we forgive and forget as soon as he takes a few wickets is just naive. Secondly Johnno, Pat Howard is a manager not a coach. Coaching is not part of his role and therefore his cricketing expertise is not important. His managerial skills are. I don' think he is doing a great job but that has nothing to do with whether or not he can bat or bowl.
Mango Jack
Guest
Luke, even his harshest critics agree that he was a sensational bowler and a clever tactician. Whether the best or not will be the subject of ongoing debate, but there is no doubt he had a huge impact on the game. However, a player's legacy cannot be built on stats alone. His constant craving for attention, parading his trophy girlfriend (sorry, fiancee), facelifts and ugly on-field confrontations have damaged his legacy considerably. He could have matured and been regarded as one of our finest, but sadly will be known as a brilliant but selfish brat.
Redb
Roar Guru
I'm talking about his antics in the BBL.
Mango Jack
Guest
The reason is that whereas Ponting grew up and was rewarded with the captaincy, Warne never did, and still hasn't.
Mango Jack
Guest
Not to mention the quality of opposition. It would be interesting to weight the value of wickets taken according to the ranking of the opposition team (and maybe also the batting position?) I suspect Warne would come out ahead. Also, as pointed out, Warne was suspended for a year in his prime, so his tally would have ben higher. Still a twat, though.
Mango Jack
Guest
Agree, Christo. They made the right call giving Waugh the captaincy over Warne. Despite Chappelli constantly banging on about it, it was recognition of the importance of the off-field part of the job, for which Waugh was much better qualified.
BrainsTrust
Guest
How did Ponting become captain, did something a lot worse than Shane Warne ever did, and I am not talking about the incident in the Indian night club but the one in the Knigs Cross night club, where it was reported he became violent with his date that evening and then had his arms around her neck and then someone had to knock him out with a punch to stop him.
Bunny Colvin
Guest
What exactly did he say to do "himself" harm? He was making a point that Australia is playing it's 2nd raters, getting well beaten and that the folks making all the decisions are not cricket people. James Sutherland, as CEO and Pat Howard the rugby union guy(never even heard of him in rugby to be honest). This football/baseball rotation system is ludicrous for such short cricket seaons. Not to mention turns off viewers and weakens our teams.
Chop
Guest
I guess the article assumes you are a fan of his to start with. I'm a massive fan of his cricketing ability, relieved he was never given the captaincy of the national team, not because he didn't have the ability but because of the discipline issues and controversy that follows him. He's turning into the David Campese of Cricket.....
Bunny Colvin
Guest
Agree totally Johnno. Warne cares a great deal about cricket and the way it is played, so his comments come out of frustration, that a lot of us also feel, towards the rudderless Cricket Australia. Critics of Warne forget, we were turned over by a mediocre Sri Lanka, at home in the short form of cricket largely due to the ridiculous chopping and changing of the Australian 11. Also, as Warne pointed out, playing 2nd and 3rd choice players, as we have been in short changing the paying public and the turnstiles are empty stands reflect that the people are turning away. Will be interesting to see the tv ratings for the Sri Lankan one day series. Looking forward to reading Shane Warne's letter outlining his vision for the Australian game. Australian cricket is seriously sick and it is caused by management over egging the cricket pudding.