Cricket legend Shane Warne dies on Samui

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Australian considered one of the best leg-spinners of all time


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Shane Warne acknowledges the crowd as he walks off at tea after he bowled Andrew Strauss of England to claim his 700th test wicket on Dec 26, 2006. (Action Images / Jason O'Brien/File Photo)

The Australian cricket legend Shane Warne has died at the age of 52, Fox Sports reported on Friday evening.

Fox said that Warne’s management had released a brief statement that he passed away while on Kho Samui in Thailand after suffering a suspected heart attack.

“Shane was found unresponsive in his villa and despite the best efforts of medical staff, he could not be revived,” the statement said.

“The family requests privacy at this time and will provide further details in due course.”

Warne is regarded as one of the finest leg-spin bowlers of all time after a career in which he took 708 test wickets in a test career that spanned from 1992 to 2007.

He later played in the Indian Premier League and other Twenty20 competitions before retiring from all international cricket in 2013 but continued to be involved in the game as a broadcaster.

Warne’s passing came just hours after he paid tribute online to another Australian cricket great, Rod Marsh. Widely regarded as one of the finest wicketkeepers to ever play the game, Marsh died after suffering a heart attack at a charity event, his former teammates said on Friday.

The 74-year-old, who played 96 Tests and was later a long-time national selector, had been in an induced coma and died at a hospital in Adelaide.

“He was a legend of our great game and an inspiration to so many young boys and girls. Rod cared deeply about cricket and gave so much — especially to Australia and England players,” Warne wrote on Twitter.

Warne was credited with reviving the art of leg-spin and his 708 Test wickets is a tally surpassed only by Sri Lanka off-spinner Muttiah Muralitharan, who took 800.

Australia opener David Warner tweeted: “Two legends of our game have left us too soon. I’m lost for words, and this is extremely sad. My thoughts and prayers go out to the Marsh and Warne family. I just cannot believe it.”