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shane-warne
Has the bubble burst for the Rajasthan Royals?
By Rich Abbott 2 days ago, about 9ish, 4 Comments »
The difficult third season. John Cleese avoided it with Fawlty Towers, as did Ricky Gervais with The Office, and so far in IPL 3, Shane Warne’s Rajasthan Royals are finding out why. Three defeats from three is a deviation from the script. Where’s the exuberance of their first season? Or even the solidity of last year? Has the worldwide expansion of the Royals brand made them lose sight of the immediate, namely IPL 2010?
The Royals’ 2008 campaign was a fairy tale, albeit one partly bankrolled by Shilpa Shetty, and their unlikely journey – they were the most frugal franchise at the first IPL player auction – won them fans, fame and the title. Basking in a relative lack of pressure, their endeavours did much to win over some IPL sceptics, this one included. Sure they had their star performers – Shane Watson and Sohail Tanvir in particular – but one of their defining characteristics was their effervescent crop of Indian youngsters.
And then there was their inspiration, Shane Warne. Along with the experience of over 1000 international wickets, he added astute coaching and captaincy to the Royals equation. Some customary pre-tournament bravado this year suggested not much had changed. Indeed, while boasting on Twitter (with the enthusiasm and grasp of grammar of a five year-old) about the form of Shaun Tait in the nets, he wondered aloud whether Sachin Tendulkar might consider pushing himself down the Mumbai Indians batting lineup in order to avoid the Aussie paceman. He didn’t, and Tait ended up going at 11.50 an over.
Yesterday they suffered their second straight thrashing, and only the best innings Warne has ever seen – really?! – masked his side’s inadequacies in their first outing.
Whilst the results may not unduly worry Royals fans – Bangalore Royal Challengers lost four of their first five games last year before going on to make the final – the loss of spark might. The bowling has lacked discipline, the batting bite – how they need Watson, who arrives after game eight – and their fielding has thus far failed to ignite. Warne has bowled well, but seemed a bit flat. Whether that’s a result of his team’s performance or a cause of it is unclear, but while it continues, the IPL is lacking one of its most appealing attractions.
4 Comments »Vintage Warne
By Rich Abbott last year, at the end of December, No Comments; be the first!
Seasonal cheer from Shane Warne in his column in The Times today. He manages to promote the international claim of an ex-teammate at Hampshire (Michael Carberry), warn against Broad batting at No 7 (again) and have a dig at Alastair Cook and Ian Bell. And all that in 300 words. Three of his favourite subjects.
Must be Christmas.
No Comments »Hair company boss sets Camden council Ashes wager
By Will last year, at the end of June, 2 Comments »
This made me chuckle. The Ashes always produces little news gems like this, so I whacked it into our Buzz blog with feverish intent.
2 Comments »He may not be playing for Australia any longer, but the shadow Shane Warne casts still looms large – as, indeed, does his face.
A six-foot high poster of Warne appeared on a bricked-up window of Advanced Hair Studios, the company to whom Warne is their now-hirsute ambassador. With depressing predictability, Camden Council have told them to take it down, but they hadn’t banked on the chairman of the company being an Australian, and a feverish cricket fan to boot.
So Carl Howell has set the council a charitable challenge. “I’m prepared to offer the council a wager,” he said. “If England win, we will take it down and pay £5,000 to the Camden Mayor’s Charity Trust Fund. If we [Australia] win, we can keep the poster up. The history between the Aussies and England is based upon having a good laugh together at the end of the series regardless of who wins.”
Councils are not, however, renowned for their sense of cheer and jollity, and it remains to be seen whether the poster will be pulled by the fun police.
Warne, never one to let a jibe pass, said: “Camden Council should be relieved I’m not playing”.
Jackson’s dead. Let’s talk about Hauritz and Flintoff
By Will last year, at the end of June, 3 Comments »
Yeah, so Michael Jackson’s dead. Why isn’t the world talking about the big news of the day, that Nathan Hauritz – Australia’s only specialist spinner – was carted all around Hove like a rag doll in a strong breeze?
I can’t help find it funny. Sure, Australia may blitz us with their four-pronger at Cardiff, but the fact remains they have a hopeless spin attack for the first time in years and years. Most of my life was spent worrying about Warne and his flipper and what it did to our hapless batsmen, so spare me this brief foray into chuckling at his rather less scary replacement.
I’m sure he fields and bats better than Monty, though.
In other news, Alastair Cook cracked a 100 from 57 balls – yes, Alastair Cook of all people – while Flintoff’s found form with 93 from about four balls. I watched a bit of Wimbledon when I got home this evening, and in it Leyton Hewitt was (inevitably) asked about the Ashes. This damned, brilliant series just gets under everyone’s skins. It’s omnipresent – I almost prefer the build-up and the anticipation to the matches themselves. Much in the same way that Christmas Eve was always better than the 25th…
3 Comments »Warne to figure in 2009 Ashes
By Will last year, at the end of February, 4 Comments »
He may no longer be terrifying Englishmen with his leggies, but Shane Warne will continue to wind up the old enemy by commentating on Sky for the summer. This is a good thing, and Warne has the charisma and confidence to become a really good commentator. I’ve listened to him on and off during the winter for his occasional stints on Australian TV and have liked his wit, cheek and general piss-taking of his colleagues (particularly Michael “Slats” Slater).
There is also the distinct probability of Warne making one or three howling howlers or un-PC comments, which can only be a good thing for the world in general.
4 Comments »Warne tips Key for England captain
By Mark Tilley last year, mid-January, 6 Comments »
Shane Warne – never short of an opinion or two, especially regarding English cricket. In the wake of the depressing England captain saga, Warne has suggested that official replacement Andrew Strauss would be better suited to the vice-captaincy position and that he would have chosen Kent captain Rob Key as skipper for all three formats of the game.
Key, who hasn’t played a Test for England since 2005, has impressed in recent years through his one-day captaincy and was an outside contender for the England position before Kevin Pietersen was appointed.
Warne said, “He has flair and imagination, a good temperament and is well liked within the game. Ideally, you should look to appoint one captain for all forms and I don’t think that Strauss deserves a place in the one-day side on merit.”
He has a point. Strauss last played a one day game for England back at the 2007 World Cup (in the West Indies, ironically) and hardly deserves a guaranteed place in the limited overs side. He lacks the firepower neccessary for an opener in one day cricket and to have him coming in down the order may get in the way of the established players like Andrew Flintoff and Owais Shah.
However, the support for Key may be misguided. He is a fine player, yes, and definately has the potential to play for England again but captaincy seems a tad premature for Key. His success with Kent was mainly in the Twenty20 format of the game however, as impressive as that was, his side’s performances in the four day game left much to be desired. It would say a huge deal for the state of the game if England were to pick a captain on the strength of his Twenty20 skills.
Where does Strauss fit in to the one day squad then? Thoughts and comments, please.
6 Comments »
Warne again
By Will last year, at the start of January, 8 Comments »
Today isn’t the day to lament Shane Warne’s absence, but tomorrow might be. South Africa lost an early wicket before Hashim Amla and Jacques Kallis – the yawning dream team – steadied South Africa once again. Australia’s dearth of spin, and of pulling rabbits out of impossibly tiny hats like Warne did for fun, will begin to hurt them.
Will Warne return? It seems implausible, not least because it would signal defeat for Australia; that their future lies with the past. That notion isn’t far from the truth given their historic defeat in this series, but all teams must move on, a notion that Australia hasn’t had to ponder for years. Unfortunately, like Maradona, David Campese, Martin Johnson and other towers of sport, the specter of a truly great sportsmen like Warne can linger for years.
Warne himself has scoffed at a possible return, but he is no ordinary character. Of all Australia’s retired and not-forgotten, he has the charisma and chutzpah to break with tradition and make a memorable (if fleeting) reappearance for the Ashes – his and Australia’s most cherished battle.
So I’m going to put myself on the line here: if Australia lose the return series in South Africa, Warne will be back at Ponting’s insistence.
There’s a poll at the site, on the right, where you can vote – and have your say below.
8 Comments »My top Ashes ten
By Will 2 years ago, at the end of October, 2 Comments »
I offered my top ten Ashes heroes for Patrick Kidd’s excellent series, which you can find below. It’s by far from definitive: basically my favourites, the ones I’ve most enjoyed in action or having read about. Nevertheless: cuss me in the comments if you wish.
Our guest blogger this week, to go with the continuing series on Ashes Heroes, is Will Luke, bright young thing of the Cricinfo stable, tabloid fodder and something of a grandfather in the blogging world as he began his Corridor blog way back in 2004, rather than surfing the post-Ashes euphoria like the rest of us. Here’s who he has picked as his ten Ashes heroes:
Richie Benaud The consummate allrounder on the pitch (a fine Ashes captain in the 50s too) and the voice for a generation (or two) in the commentary box. His MCC Masterclass (circa early 1990s) on leg spin is a hidden gem for young, aspiring leggies.
Douglas Jardine A rare Englishman whose name makes Australians flinch. And he didn’t care if they were made to flinch by his tactics, either.
Steve Waugh Embittered, determined, mostly ugly but wonderfully free-flowing if needed. Never, ever defeated and nearly always rose to the biggest of occasions time and again. Unflinchingly stubborn and the first Australian I begrudgingly had to admit to myself that, yes, he was probably a hero.
Shane Warne If perhaps not the single biggest factor in Australia’s Ashes dominance in the 1990s, then certainly the most entertaining cricketer and character in a generation. Love rat extrordinaire.
Dennis Lillee A menacing, angry figure. Unbelievably skilful. The Ashes footage I watched (sadly on video) of him bowl will always stick in my mind.
Darren Gough The heart of ten lions and gave hope that anything was possible when clearly it wasn’t. You’d want him in a war trench just for his optimism.
Ian Botham Everything was possible. 1981, yadda yadda.
Andrew Flintoff Everything is possible. I don’t think any Englishman had struck an Australian for bigger sixes than those sky-scraping missiles he whacked in 2005. His over to Ponting was gold-dust.
Glenn McGrath He always seemed to gain a yard in pace against England. That was my/our feeble excuse. Bastardly metronomic yet a wonderfully unhinged interviewee. In fact, he was just wonderfully unhinged.
Adam Gilchrist It wasn’t enough that Australia had McGrath, Warne and the Waughs. No. They had to produce this dynamo of uninhibited savagery and, worst of all, he was unfailingly honest and polite to boot. An all-round git of an entertainer who created the new breed of batsman-wicketkeeper.
Lehmann better than Steve Waugh?
By Will 2 years ago, at the start of October, 4 Comments »
Shane Warne’s got a new book out
One for our Australian readers: what do you think about Warne’s insistence that Darren Lehmann is a better player than Steve Waugh? He’s releasing one of those infuriatingly addictive “lists” books – his top 100 Test cricketers – which is a total sell-out, but then he’s allowed to do these types of bullshit books. Because he’s a legend.
Waugh’s lowly 26th place was received with a few raised eyebrows in Australia when The Times first serialised the book. So what do you think? Who’s better? Darren or Steve? Mark or Steve? Taylor or Steve? Frankly, I think Warney’s probably got a screw loose, but then that’s why we love him: for his shameless lack of bolts upstairs, and belief in himself that what he says is gospel.
buy his book
“In the beginning was Warne, and Warne was with God, and Warne was God.” (St Luke, 2008)
4 Comments »Krazy’s figures
By Will 2 years ago, at the start of October, 20 Comments »
I have to feel some sympathy towards Australia’s new spin-wizard, Jason “Krazy” Krejza. But that doesn’t mean I’m going to offer any. No, having sent the occasional spinless English spinner to Australia for quite a long time, it’s time to reap revenge and wallow in his discomfort. His figures today were 0 for 123 from 20 overs.
I’m genuinely sorry to lower myself to this level, but face it Aussies, you’ve had it coming ever since Warne retired. [tongue firmly in cheek]
20 Comments »The return of Warne
By Will 2 years ago, mid-May, 11 Comments »
Oh, it’s too good to be true. Or is it?
“If Australia really needed me and there was no one else around, and Ricky Ponting thought I could do the job, you would weigh up the options,” Warne told the Herald Sun. “If Stuey MacGill fell over and broke his leg, and there were no other spinners around, and Ricky came out and said, ‘Mate, can you please help us out for this one-off tour? We need you’, that is something I would weigh up.”
It’ll never happen of course (though, never say never when Warne’s in the room. As his many mistresses will no doubt attest to). But we can hope…
11 Comments »Video of Shane Warne’s TV adverts
By Will 3 years ago, at the start of December, No Comments; be the first!
Thanks to Allie for writing in with the link. (see photos, too)
No Comments »Two champions, only one winner
By Jonathan Liew 3 years ago, mid-November, 22 Comments »
Someone is really going to have to put a stop to the Warne-Murali debate. It’s doing my head in.
It’s not that I don’t enjoy a spot of abstract, hypothetical cricketing banter. My teens consisted of little else, in fact. It’s just that this debate is – or should be – so thoroughly redundant. Is there seriously anybody out there who would take Murali over Warne? Please, step to the front of the class so we can ridicule you.
Murali is, of course, a great bowler and I don’t want to hate on him too much. I was present at his two greatest performances on English soil – The Oval in 1998 and Trent Bridge in 2006. He wins games. He turns it miles. He’s a genuinely laid-back guy in a world of grunting Pietersens and Nels. He is, as I say, a great bowler. Even his batting’s quite fun to watch.
But against a great bowler, surely the greatest. Warne won games, and he turned it miles. But where Murali tends to prey on uncertain, vulnerable batsmen, which is why he so often manages to roll an entire side over, Warne thrived on taking key wickets at key times, and cajoling his team-mates into doing the same. That’s something you can’t measure with statistics. Murali is a genius, but greater than a genius is a winner, and Warne is both. And he bats. And he catches. And he turned Shaun Udal into a Test bowler. Case closed for me.
Loading ...Photos of Shane Warne’s new TV advert
By Will 3 years ago, mid-November, 2 Comments »
Thanks to Allie, here’s Shane Warne dressed up as his mother in his new TV advert for VB:
…and his father…
Shane Warne’s new TV advert
By Will 3 years ago, mid-November, 3 Comments »
He was an expert at bamboozling England’s batsmen, but now Shane Warne is set to leave viewers flummoxed in a new TV advert.
The spin legend spent hours in make-up to appear as a baby and also as his own mum and dad.
Warne said: “It was a hoot. I absolutely loved doing the ads.”
Do leave a comment if you’ve seen it or, better, have a link to it.
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