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WARNE OUT?

Major cricket news:

Rumours are sweeping Melbourne that Australian cricket great Shane Warne is about to announce his retirement.

Macquarie National News understands that the fifth and final Test between Australia and England in Sydney will the be Spin King Shane Warne’s last wearing the baggy green.

 

Posted by Tim B. on 12/20/2006 at 02:56 AM
  1. What a shane.

    Posted by Habib on 2006 12 20 at 02:58 AM • permalink

  2. Say it aint so, Shane? Please, Shane?

    Ulululululululululululululululululu!

    Posted by Infidel Tiger on 2006 12 20 at 02:59 AM • permalink

  3. Wot?!  Shanes gunna bail??!

    Posted by Olrence on 2006 12 20 at 03:03 AM • permalink

  4. Bowled, Warnie

    Posted by Bruno on 2006 12 20 at 03:15 AM • permalink

  5. It really puts life into perspective when a tragedy like this hits you.

    Posted by Infidel Tiger on 2006 12 20 at 03:17 AM • permalink

  6. Never liked the guy…

    Well apparently “never” is incorrect. According to my mother I wrote a story about him in year 1.

    Posted by Matthew Lawrence on 2006 12 20 at 03:19 AM • permalink

  7. What do people say at times like this ? We will never see his like again !

    In Warnie’s case it is definitely true.

    Posted by Jimmythespiv on 2006 12 20 at 03:23 AM • permalink

  8. Sydney Morning Herald has confirmed he’s announcing his retirement tomorrow: link

    Posted by Ian Deans on 2006 12 20 at 03:29 AM • permalink

  9. gggooooooooooooooooonnnnnneeee

    Posted by murph on 2006 12 20 at 03:29 AM • permalink

  10. He could do things with balls that would make a Thai hooker blush… I miss him already.

    Posted by Infidel Tiger on 2006 12 20 at 03:32 AM • permalink

  11. mcgrath will retire as well

    Posted by Jonathan Lowe on 2006 12 20 at 03:55 AM • permalink

  12. On TV a couple of days ago he said “I’m going to miss this” kind of gave it away then I thought.

    Posted by Looneyc on 2006 12 20 at 03:56 AM • permalink

  13. When the bad guys ride into town, Shane might strap on the six shooter again and ride to the showdown. Or does that just happen in the movie?

    Posted by blogstrop on 2006 12 20 at 04:03 AM • permalink

  14. Let’s face it, they had to generate interest in the fourth and fifth tests somehow.  Warnie owes it to his future employer, Channel nine.

    Posted by entropy on 2006 12 20 at 04:08 AM • permalink

  15. I hope he doesn’t also retire from his off field antics. The outrage he causes amongst the ‘holier than thou’ crowd always makes me chuckle.

    Posted by Penguin on 2006 12 20 at 04:13 AM • permalink

  16. First with the news:

    Just by the way, file this under scurrilous. I heard a little whisper that McGrath & Warne may retire after the Ashes. It’s probably rubbish, but who doesn’t love a good rumour?

    Tonight’s ABC news referred to it as “strong speculation”.

    Posted by Tony.T.Teacher on 2006 12 20 at 04:22 AM • permalink

  17. Time to take up that mobile phone sponsorship….

    Posted by JonathanH on 2006 12 20 at 04:27 AM • permalink

  18. UN Secretary General Koffi Anan said he was “deeply concerned” about this news.

    Posted by Stop Continental Drift! on 2006 12 20 at 04:40 AM • permalink

  19. That classic delivery when Warney bowls Gatting around the legs.

    And he’s out

    [Anti-Bush video replaced by video of my cat. The Management.]

    Posted by freedy on 2006 12 20 at 05:15 AM • permalink

  20. Translation for our American readers:

    Michael Jordan / Babe Ruth (or equivalent at international level) has just announced his retirement.

    Posted by Stop Continental Drift! on 2006 12 20 at 05:17 AM • permalink

  21. better athlete than Michael Jordan, too.

    *coff*....*coff*....

    Posted by JonathanH on 2006 12 20 at 05:19 AM • permalink

  22. Being a ‘wanker’ American, I’m guessing he must be 65 years old to be retiring since the sport doesn’t appear that stressful.

    Posted by JDB on 2006 12 20 at 05:20 AM • permalink

  23. Say it ain’t so, Mr Warne.

    You will leave the field open to that rotten little chucker from an un-named country (clue: eyeballs like a mad rat) to gloat that he is a better bowler (despite getting most of his wickets against national teams that wouldn’t get a game in Upper Gulargambone, and having a bowling action that would have earned three hours in the nets at Barbed Wire Creek Primary School).

    My euphoria over tearing out the hearts of the English cricket team has just been dashed. Dammit.

    Posted by Pedro the Ignorant on 2006 12 20 at 05:28 AM • permalink

  24. Troll Alert:  “freedy” aka xyzl, lxyz etc

    You poor, sad, sad, lonely loser.  And soooo dumb. We don’t actually have to click on that link to tell its your usual Bush hating crap.  No-one sees it; you only advertise your mental and trolling inadequacies.  You sit there, alone in your dark room, one hand on your cock, the pooch trembling at the ready, the other hand pecking out your silly trolling, trying

    Oh never mind.  Go away and die expire, loser.

    Posted by Stop Continental Drift! on 2006 12 20 at 05:30 AM • permalink

  25. I’m rubble. I don’t know what to say. I’m just completely cactus. And I don’t think it’s sunk in yet.

    Posted by hayesy on 2006 12 20 at 06:16 AM • permalink

  26. #22 JDB In our time of mourning and anxiety, we’ll forgive you that sledge.

    For now.

    Posted by Stop Continental Drift! on 2006 12 20 at 06:23 AM • permalink

  27. Pedro

    It pisses me off to Murali’s eyeballs that Warne’s record is destined to be broken by somebody who hasn’t bowled a single legal delivery in his career.

    The damage being done to cricket by inaction in the face of baseless accusations of racism is massive.

    Posted by murph on 2006 12 20 at 07:10 AM • permalink

  28. I don’t know why he’s retiring.  If I were him, I wouldn’t.  What else is there that could be more enjoyable than flitting the globe engaging in your second greatest passion and getting paid for it?

    Maybe he’s going to go into porn.

    Posted by murph on 2006 12 20 at 07:12 AM • permalink

  29. If The Porcupine can make a ‘fist’ of it in porn, Warne is a shoe in.
    Stay tuned for ‘Warne’s Spinning Balls’ and ‘Shane’s Middle Leg’ on DVD at all good porn shops.

    Posted by CB on 2006 12 20 at 07:39 AM • permalink

  30. Shit. The Poms will celebrating and gloating how it only took thirteen years to grind Warney into the deck.

    The mad eyed chucker will sacrificing a herd of goats and burning incense by the truckload in celebration of his good fortune and pending “world record” (coff, gag)

    I will step out on a limb here and call Warney the 2nd best cricketer this country has ever produced.

    Posted by Pedro the Ignorant on 2006 12 20 at 07:41 AM • permalink

  31. For Murph (#27). The only time in my 19 years of membership have I ever heard the usually very staid and proper Members at the WACA actively sledging a bowler from a visiting country was when Murali a certain shrunken alleged “bowler” was hurling a cricket ball at an Aussie batsman at the other end.

    Naturally, I was too much of a gentleman to join in.

    Posted by Pedro the Ignorant on 2006 12 20 at 07:51 AM • permalink

  32. #23 - To think that that little tombstone toothed talent dodger could take our Shane’s record is enough to make me sick. The only thing he should be playing is darts. Got the best action I’ve ever seen for it.

    Posted by Infidel Tiger on 2006 12 20 at 07:53 AM • permalink

  33. The only thing that bends more than his arm is the ICC trying to accommodate him.

    Posted by Infidel Tiger on 2006 12 20 at 07:54 AM • permalink

  34. I hope he means that he’s retiring from bowling to start a new career as a chucker?

    Posted by Jim Geones on 2006 12 20 at 07:56 AM • permalink

  35. Do we RetUrn the Ashes next time? Or will England be warne out by someone else?

    Posted by stackja1945 on 2006 12 20 at 08:00 AM • permalink

  36. Its been a busy week on the blog this week today.  Warne gooorn, (who remembers 1986-7 Border Matthews et al,) the dick from niagra falls, (who cares what his name is), gaia eating V8 Holdens, (who cares, fill-er-up), and those tits, oh yeah, I will not say “nice tits”.  Thanks to all those who sent me messages of support on this one.  (Kae, I have your number, you cannot hide).

    Posted by surfmaster on 2006 12 20 at 09:25 AM • permalink

  37. This is just devastating news - I first saw him years ago at the SCG in a Sheffield Shield game - the crowd numbered about 40 people and perhaps a dog and I remember thinking that this bloke is pretty good

    I’ve loved watching him bowl since then especially with McGrath down the other end

    One thing for sure I’m not missing a minute of his last two Tests

    Posted by aussiemagpie on 2006 12 20 at 10:14 AM • permalink

  38. It’s all in the wrist!

    Posted by Rob Read on 2006 12 20 at 02:53 PM • permalink

  39. Geez, RR, I clicked on “It’s all in the wrist” with some trepidation ....

    Posted by Stop Continental Drift! on 2006 12 20 at 05:21 PM • permalink

  40. #22 JDB: ‘retiring since the sport doesn’t appear that stressful’.
    Try batting in 45C [110F+] for 6+ hours continuously [- with short breaks only for drinks and eats]. Players have been known to be taken off with a lifesaving rehydration drip in their arm.

    Oh, and you don’t get three strikes either. Just ONE mistake, and you’re out!

    I like and played baseball, but it’s easy in comparison.
    Cricketers catch a harder ball without a soft glove…
    Babe Ruth had it made compared with ANY cricketer, whose games go for 30 hours on consecutive days.

    Posted by Barrie on 2006 12 20 at 06:18 PM • permalink

  41. Warnie and McGrath: Farewell guys - the game will not be the same. The next to go will be Richie Benaud - but no doubt he will only say so at the end of the Sydney test.

    Posted by rbresca on 2006 12 20 at 06:23 PM • permalink

  42. To the management,

    Nice cat!

    Posted by Janice on 2006 12 20 at 07:17 PM • permalink

  43. You cannot compare two sports like baseball and cricket, but you CAN compare performances of athletes against their peers. 

    Occassionally, there are people who are so clearly superior to their compatriots that they take a place in pantheon of sporting Gods.

    People like Babe Ruth, Michael Jordan, Walter Lindrum, Carl Lewis, Cassius Clay, Mark Spitz and, of course, the most outside the bell-curve-person of any professional sport in the 20th century: Sir Donald Bradman.

    Warne’s greatest feat is that he literally changed the way cricket was played in the 1990’s.  Prior to Warne, every team wanted to follow the West Indian model of four quicks and one all-rounder. 

    He brought the lost art of leg-spin back from the dead - he is the greatest leg-spinner EVER. Now every team is looking for a ‘leggie’.  But Warne’s real achievement is that he made the most difficult form of bowling look so easy - which it sure ain’t!

    For you Americans: imagine a knuckleballer comes into the game, wins 25 games a season for 15 years and has kids in every baseball sandlot in the world practicing to be a knuckleballer.  That’s the impact Warne has had on cricket.

    So farewell, Warnie, enjoy your retirement.  And, for the sake of your kids, I hope you get back together with Simone.

    Posted by Apparatchik on 2006 12 20 at 10:24 PM • permalink

  44. The words champion and legend are bandied about far too frequently these days. In Warne’s case they are spot on. He was not only the greatest leg spinner of all time, he was the greatest bowler, cricketer, sportsman, human being to grace this planet.

    If you need me, I will be hanging from a short rope on a tall bridge.

    Bowled, Shane.

    Posted by Infidel Tiger on 2006 12 20 at 10:31 PM • permalink

  45. Well Warne path to greatness

    Posted by stackja1945 on 2006 12 20 at 10:55 PM • permalink

  46. Tragic news confirmed today (sob).

    There will be 3 days of State Mourning following the end of the Fifth Test.

    And Tim, we expect respectful black crepe edging to these blog pages, OK?

    Posted by Stop Continental Drift! on 2006 12 21 at 02:57 AM • permalink

  47. Well, the Yojimbo is none too happy about it.

    The vast Yojimbo clan(all two of us) will make an attempt to visit the UK in the summer of 2008.  I was looking forward to actually being able to see a cricket match!  I was also looking forward to watching one of the all time greats apply his craft(based upon the comments here on the cricket threads). 

    So will you kindly get his butt back in there for the next Ashes.  A disappointed Yojimbo is none too pretty.

    Posted by yojimbo on 2006 12 21 at 01:52 PM • permalink

  48. Well at least us Poms will stand a better chance of winning in OZ in the Future, so there is a silver lining!

    This after the WC in April, Langer, Hayden, Mcgrath, Gilly, will all be in the commentary box, and the golden era will have pasted.

    Come on England!

    btw, you’ve got to admit the Strauss ball at edgbaston in 05 was better than the Gouch in 93 ball. The Strauss ball was delivered under pressure

    Posted by owls001 on 2006 12 21 at 02:31 PM • permalink

  49. Well thanks a bunch owls.

    Now you indicate that I missed a “golden era” of Aussie cricket by one.

    Not only will I miss Warne bowling but I will also miss all of the others that comprise a “golden age”!

    Way to brighten my day.  Sheesh!

    Posted by yojimbo on 2006 12 21 at 02:50 PM • permalink

  50. Maybe someone can find a better clip, but here are 8 of the best from the Master:

    For you, yoyojimbo…


    On’ya, Warnie.

    Posted by MentalFloss on 2006 12 21 at 04:28 PM • permalink

  51. oops…subtract one “yo”

    pimf

    Posted by MentalFloss on 2006 12 21 at 05:03 PM • permalink

  52. The west australian has the best cartoonist in Oz by a mile.
    Can be a bit “West Oz” but thats who he scribbles for. Nice one on Warne here.

    http://www.thewest.com.au/default.aspx?MenuID=55

    Posted by thefrollickingmole on 2006 12 21 at 06:44 PM • permalink

  53. Yojimbo

    Don’t be concerned too much, especially by the propaganda put out by our Pommy mate owls001!

    This after the World Cup in April, Langer, Hayden, Mcgrath, Gilly, will all be in the commentary box

    Of these, maybe Mcgrath is the only one I’d put money on not being there.

    And in any case, whilst Warne is a true ‘one off’, the Aussie team has been in collective ‘legend’ status for over a decade. There’s always someone retiring between Aust-England series; have no fear, there will be a daunting Aussie team in a continuing ‘Golden Age’ on the field in ‘08!

    Posted by Stop Continental Drift! on 2006 12 21 at 09:56 PM • permalink

  54. and great clip, MentalFloss - thanks

    Posted by Stop Continental Drift! on 2006 12 21 at 09:57 PM • permalink

  55. Thanks MentalFloss.

    Thanks SCD.  That’s comforting.  We are going to attempt a trip to the UK for the summer of 2008.  Maybe the last time we will be able to travel and I was looking forward to the spectacle of this great event while we were over there.  I went to an English cricket site and checked the dates of the 2005 broohaha and was pleased to find that it started late July during the English “summer”.

    Posted by yojimbo on 2006 12 22 at 01:35 AM • permalink

  56. yojimbo

    Warne is still playing 2 seasons of english “county” cricket, sorry but I dont have the sides name or any play dates though. Something to do with still being contracted for 2 more seasons with the side.
    So provided you dont mind a bit of travel you should still get in a good day of quality cricket.

    Posted by thefrollickingmole on 2006 12 22 at 01:51 AM • permalink

  57. #56,frollicking.

    Thank you for that information.  I will look into that.  I can get that information now that I know what to look for.

    Posted by yojimbo on 2006 12 22 at 11:48 AM • permalink

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