The Career of Shane Warne

Shane Warne was one of Australia’s most famous sports stars. He did so much for the reputation of cricket both in Australia and abroad. With a larger than life personality and an infectious smile, Warne lit up any room that he was in. Tragically he passed, far too soon, in March of last year at the age of just 52. Exactly a year on, we’re going to take a look back at the career and personal life of Shane Warne, a true legend of Australian cricket.

Shane Warne’s Life on the Pitch

Shane Warne’s cricket career began in 1983 when he was selected to play for the University of Melbourne Cricket Club, where he played in an under-16s tournament and cemented himself a place on the team. It wouldn’t be until three years later that he was chosen to train at the Australian Cricket Academy. He spent a year honing his skills before moving to the UK and getting signed to Accrington Cricket Club as their bowler – and so his professional cricket career began.

Over the next 22 years, Warne’s right-arm leg spin style saw him go down in history as one of the greatest bowlers that the sport had ever seen. During his time playing for Victoria, Hampshire, and Australia, he set the record for the most wickets taken by any bowler in Test cricket, with 708 wickets to his name.

After his retirement, Warne couldn’t stay away from the game. He worked often as a cricket commentator, bringing a degree of mastery and insight to his commentary that made games even more fascinating to watch. He also coached for the Rajasthan Royals, captaining the team at different points too.

Shane Warne at the Poker Table

As well as being a brilliant cricketer, Shane Warne was also at home at the poker table. He played in several live tournaments and was even part of a poker pro team. Not only did he enjoy a round of poker, but he was partial to visiting casino resorts whilst on vacation. If you’d like to achieve a little of what Shane Warne did on the tables of the card game but don’t feel up to an in-person game just quite yet, then this review of PokerStars Casino Ontario shows just how much fun it’s possible to have online. After playing at the Aussie Millions, the WSOP, and the 888 UK Poker Open, Warne slowed down his poker career in order to pursue charity work.

Ed Sheeran Pays Tribute to Shane Warne

On the 2nd of March, Ed Sheeran played a show at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, a ground that Warne knew well. Warne’s loved ones watched from a corporate box, in the stand now named after him. Whilst the night was guaranteed to be a great one, in no small part thanks to the friendship between Ed Sheeran and Shane Warne, his family certainly weren’t expecting Sheeran to stop in the middle of his break-through song ‘A-Team’ to dedicate it to Shane Warne himself. What a beautiful tribute just one year on.