Warne:It's My Time Now

'I'd like to go out on top' - Warne

Shane Warne, the most successful bowler in Test history, will retire after the final match of the Ashes series in Sydney. Warne told a news conference at the MCG he was ready to end his 15-year international career, but not before a push for a 5-0 result against England.

Warne revealed he chose today to announce his retirement because he wanted to go out on top and "my time is now".

Warne explained: "I wanted to go out on my terms".

Warne told a packed press conference at the MCG that he had had an"unbelieveable ride" in cricket and winning back the Ashes meant that he could finally leave the game on his terms.

While he is quitting domestic cricket for Victoria state and for Melbourne club St. Kilda, Warne confirmed he would fulfill the final two years of his contract with English county Hampshire.

Warne was selected by a panel of cricket experts as one of the five Wisden cricketers of the century in 2000. Since October 2004, he has held the record for the most wickets taken by any bowler in test cricket. In August 2005, he became the first bowler to take 600 test wickets.

Warne took four wickets in the Ashes-clinching third test win in Perth which ended Monday, saying it "completed a mission.''

Warne made an inauspicious test debut against India at the Sydney Cricket Ground in 1992, and although many identified the natural talent of the pudgy slow bowler, few predicted greatness.For Warne, that first test remains one of his greatest cricket moments.
"To have an opportunity to walk off in Sydney where it all began a long time ago I think is a great opportunity and something to celebrate,'' he said.
Warne made his first major impact on international cricket in 1993, when he produced the so-called "Ball of the Century'' to bowl England's Mike Gatting behind his legs with his first ever Ashes delivery.

He has been a target for bad publicity and has had to overcome potentially career-ending finger and shoulder problems, and survived the backlash for his dealings with a bookmaker and a 12-month ban for taking a banned substance.

In February 2003, on the eve of Australia's World Cup opener in South Africa, Warne was sent home after admitting he'd failed a doping test earlier in the year.
Warne was found guilty of taking a banned diuretic in breach of the Australian Cricket Board's drug code and was suspended for 12 months.

Warne's former Australian captain Allan Border said he was "in a bit of a state of shock'' about the retirement announcement.

"It's just caught everyone by surprise,'' Border said.

Border captained Warne in his first test, when the leg spinner returned 1-150 against India.

"There was something special about him, right from the word go,'' Border said. "We just knew there was something about this kid ... not many of us in the team had seen Shane bowl.

"He got 1-150 in his first test, so you wouldn't predict 698 more. But we knew he had something special.''

When asked where Warne would rate in the history of the game, Border put him near the top of cricket's best players.

Sir Donald"Bradman -it's hard to make comparison with that guy's record, but the next level of cricketers, Warne is right there,'' Border said. "He's been a breath of fresh air, what he's brought to the game is immeasurable.''

SHANE WARNE FACTFILE

Tendulkar, Lara toughest to bowl to:Warne

Champion leg spinner Shane Warne today said Sachin Tendulkar and Brian Lara had been the toughest to bowl to in his 15-year international career which will come to an end after the fifth Ashes Test next month.

"Sachin Tendulkar and Brian Lara are the two best batsmen of my era. I think those two guys have been the toughest at international level," said Warne, Test cricket's highest wicket-taker with 699 scalps.

On Lara, the 37-year-old bowler said, "I cannot believe it, it's just amazing his placement in cricket. He can dominate a game, as we've seen over the years, no matter who's bowling."

Warne, who once admitted having nightmares about Tendulkar dancing down the track to thrash him , said he was amazed how the Indian managed to carry the expectations of a billion people on his shoulder.

"I really admire Sachin for what he has to go through everyday in India, with a billion people wanting him to do well," he said.

"There's 50,000 people outside the stadium and when he walks up to bat they all charge in. One of the hardest things when you've been a successful player is everybody else's expectations, they can wear you down after a while."

Warne pointed out Australia's loss to Sri Lanka in 1996 as the lowest point of his career.

The Adelaide win which gave Australia the coveted Ashes this season, and the 1992 Test against Sri Lanka where Warne helped his team to a comeback win were rated as high points.

Pictures frm His Retirement Announcement

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knoughtyd's Signature:

In the first post "Timeline", why have you missed out Shane Warne getting carted all over the field while bowling tpo Tendulkar ?? If you have listed his achivements, you have to lost his failures too

He was a good bowler. But I never liked him. spoke too much and was too arrogant.

And he never bowled well against the teams who knew to play spin. He got 99% of those wickets against other countries who didnt know how to play spin.

I would have called him great if he had blowed well against Indians and Lankans. That is why I consider Muralitharan the greatest bowler (or baller ) ever.

Murali had even Indians stunned..... not this arrogant bloke.

Its described in d second post where he himself admits to have nightmares while bowlin to Tendulkar....

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knoughtyd's Signature:

Sachin Tendulkar, one of the few to have played the game even longer than Shane Warne, paid tribute to his old sparring partner after Warne announced that he would retire at the end of the current Ashes series. Tendulkar and Warne enjoyed some memorable contests, with Warne once admitting that Tendulkar's batting - especially in the series in India in 1998 - gave him nightmares

According to Tendulkar, Warne would always command a special place in the game's annals. "He's surely one of the greatest players to have played this game," he said. "Above all, I think he's a wonderful person. He's a good friend and what he's been able to achieve for Australia is something special. There are not many guys who can stand next to him and say that they have done similar things. You don't get to see such cricketers every day."

As for what had made Warne so special, Tendulkar pointed to his legendary accuracy and a spirit that remained unbowed no matter how tough the situation. "You had to be awake to play Warne [smiles]," he said. "There was no breathing space at all. Warne being such a fierce competitor, you knew that at no stage could you bat him out of the game. He was always coming back at you. That kept me on my toes.

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knoughtyd's Signature:

Simply awesome thread ..... Rated and repped

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Bluffmaster's Signature:

No act of kindness, however small, is ever wasted. No one needs a smile as much as a person who fails to give one.

well that is true for everyone then.
Sachin doesn't boas of a great record against good teams outside the subcontinent too.
Warne took wickets against everyone(he won't have taken 699 otherwise)

Filter: against India, at the opposition's home.
Sort order: chronological.

Mat Runs HS BatAv 100 50 W BB BowlAv 5w Ct St

unfiltered 143 3043 99 16.81 0 11 699 8/71 25.49 36 124 0
filtered 9 193 39 12.86 0 0 34 6/125 43.11 1 6 0


Its not a great record, but our ballers also don't fare any better in India.

give him credit where its due. He is the best spinner world has seen, albeit an arrogant, fool and sex maniac

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Safin's Signature:


"You force me to do terrible things that...I enjoy doing anyway!"

awesome thread!!

agreed... with nikhil... murli is a far better bowler then shane...

but then again u cannot take the accolades away from the man. he deserves em throughly.. and yes he does deserve a standing ovation for his achievements..

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chic_magnet's Signature:

i am afraid i completely agree and disagree with you
He is a better bowler cos of a born defect which gives him an unfair advantage over normal people. Whatever ICC might say, this guy chucks and rules were bent to accommodate him.

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Safin's Signature:


"You force me to do terrible things that...I enjoy doing anyway!"