Pitch perfect

Spin king: Shane Warne leaves the field in Galle,

Sri Lanka, after taking his 500th Test wicket in 2004.

You know you’ve made it when you are known by just one name. Even more so if you are universally and affectionately referred to by a nickname.

Say the name “Warney” and everyone knows you are talking about former Australian cricketer Shane Warne.

And, everyone knows “Warney” – all-time cricket great, loveable larrikin, Aussie legend, ladies man, beerskoller, balcony dancer.

So it is somewhat telling that the new documentary about Australia’s greatest-ever Test wicket-taker is simply called “Shane”.

The documentary, streaming on Amazon Prime Video, takes a more personal look back at Warne’s sporting career and life in the limelight through interviews with the man himself and those closest to him, as well as cricket greats.

“It’s the first time my children have spoken, my parents,” Warne told fellow Fox Cricket commentator Mark Howard during the fourth Ashes Test at the SCG.

“A lot of the things were quite difficult to talk about. From a long time ago, but still quite difficult to talk about.

“But you know, for most of my life, there’s been some wonderful things happen.

“As an Australian cricket team we became the best side in the world for over 15 years, we beat every team, home and away, and I played with some of the greatest cricketers who have ever played the game, so I was very, very lucky to do that.

“And along the journey I did a few pretty good things myself too.”

This is not the first time Warne’s life has been documented. His trials and tribulations have been a constant focus of newspapers, magazines, books, TV shows and even a stage musical since he bowled “the ball of the century” to England’s Mike Gatting almost 30 years ago.

“I know, look, I’ve been very very lucky in my life – I’m very grateful for the life I’ve had. I’ve had over 13 books, I think, written about my life, a stage musical and now a documentary,” Warne said.

“I think when you grow up, you think fame could be pretty cool. When I was 21 or 22 years of age, I had my first, I suppose, exposure to it.

“And there’s no school you can go to to learn about it. You’ve just got to sort of try to do the best you can to deal with it. Being followed by half a dozen photographers a day, everywhere you go.

“The Gatting ball changed my life. That was the real turning point from that side of things where I suppose the media side of people and that side wanted to know

A new doco allows Australian cricket great Shane Warne and those closest to him to tell his own story, his own way, writes

Kathryn Roberts

On the ball: Clockwise from top, Warne in a school photo; with his former wife Simone; celebrating an England wicket during a 2006 Ashes Test; and playing backyard cricket. everywhere I spent my time.

“I sort of resented it a lot but over time I understand how it works, I understand there’s a job to do.”

The film highlights Warne’s relationship with his family, particularly his children.

“There’s lots of happy memories, lots of sad memories,” says daughter Brooke in the trailer. “We only ever saw him as Dad.”

The documentary delves into the well-known betting and drugs scandals and also what Warne describes as his “lowest point” – the 2005 separation and subsequent divorce from wife Simone, due to his extra-marital affairs.

The 2005 Ashes in England saw Warne produce one of the best individual performances in a Test series, taking an astounding 40 wickets.

But it wasn’t enough, as Australia lost the Ashes, and Warne lost his family, with his wife and children returning to Australia just before the series began.

“I would play cricket and go back to the hotel room and raid the mini bar. Just sit in my room by myself and just drink,” Warne says in the documentary.

“In my hotel room crying, on the floor… just berating myself for some of the things I did.”

In the documentary, Warne talks about how he missed his children and just tried to put all his focus into cricket.

“I think that was the lowest because it had nothing to do with anything else. The impact it had on my children, I couldn’t get to see my children and they couldn’t get to see me and it was my fault,” Warne said.

But Shane is not all raking over the coals of the scandals in Warne’s life. It also looks at his extraordinary feats on the cricket field and the huge admiration he receives off it.

“He’s larger than life. He’s Shane Warne,” says England great Sir Ian Botham.

Warne’s fellow Victorian bowling legend Merv Hughes laughs: “I’ve got my hand up. I want to be Shane Warne.”

Shane boasts interviews with the likes of cricket greats Botham, Sachin Tendulkar, Allan Border, Mark Taylor and Ian Chappell.

Warne’s good friends singer Ed Sheeran and Coldplay frontman Chris Martin also feature.

“They’re not just in there to fill a head space – they’re my friends,” Warne said.

“Chris Martin’s one of my top four, five mates. I met him in 2000, I’ve known him for 21 years. He knows my family, he knows my children.

“We’ve got a really good relationship. People sometimes forget, whether you’re a sports star or a musician, you’re human. You have feelings and you’re just like everyone else. We’re sort of a sounding board for each other which is pretty cool.”

The team in charge of the documentary says it “approached the storytelling through a series of interviews with Warne’s insiders”.

“We assembled them as though they are at a pub round-table chat, each trying to better the other with their story of a Shane moment. The documentary’s chorus rises and falls with the great times and the bad.”

So what does the man who has seen his life documented every step of the way hope viewers get out of the latest offering?

“I hope it inspires you, I hope you enjoy it,” Warne said on Fox Cricket.

“I hope it makes you understand me a little more and shows the love I have for my children, my family and how loyal I am.”

Shane, streaming, Amazon Prime Video