Solid pro who turned into cricket’s spin king
Club looks back on Australian star’s Accrington summer
IN 1991, a young Australian spin bowler by the name of Shane Warne arrived at Accrington Cricket Club hoping to make a good impression in English cricket.
His only season in Lancashire was a solid if uninspiring summer and Accrington CC chose not to retain him for the 1992 season.
Just two years later, he was playing for Australia against England and delivered the legendary ‘Ball of the Century’, with a leg spin delivery which bamboozled batsman Mike Gatting and everyone else present at Old Trafford. It went down in Test cricket history as one of the sport’s greatest moments.
By the time he retired, Warne was the leading alltime Test wicket taker and regarded by many as the greatest bowler to pick up a cricket ball.
Warne died aged 52 this week after suffering from a heart attack, leaving behind a generation of devastated fans who admired his skill on the pitch and his personality off it.
Accrington Cricket Section Chairman Len Dewhurst said: “I cannot believe the news regarding Shane Warne. Shocked is an understatement.
“Only last Saturday the likes of Martin Whittle, Damian Clarke, Dave Parsons and myself were all out celebrating with Neil Holmes for his 50th birthday, talking about the good times and memories of Shane amongst others. “I am truly saddened. “All our thoughts and prayers are with Shane’s family.”
In his season at Accrington, Warne enjoyed a good season with the ball, taking 73 wickets at 15.4 each, but he only scored 330 runs at 15.0.
In actual fact, he had only been signed because another professional player pulled out at the last minute.
Andy Barker, who was captain at the time, told BBC Sport: “We had to sign Shane because we would have been fined by the Lancashire League if
we didn’t have a pro by the first game of the season.
“So, by default, we ended up with Shane Warne.”
Not knowing much about him, his fellow players reportedly thought he looked like he would be more at home on a s ur f board than a cricket pitch but the beer-loving youngster quickly won th em around.
He also won fans over by making time for them before and after matches, although this didn’t translate to a softer response to his performances.
Barker was in the changing room when Warne trudged in after receiving a mouthful from the locals on one occasion.
He said: “It really affected him. wasn’t going to be burning anyone. ‘No way,’ they said. ‘The pro doesn’t get run out. End of story.’
“I was thrown by this and didn’t bowl great. The opposition hammered me. Not a great start.”
Warne was bowled out first ball against Ramsbottom and recalled: “I watched the stump cartwheel all the way back to the keeper, and as I walked off I heard, ‘Go home, pro, you’re roobish’.
“I didn’t bowl too good that game either. We got smashed and I started to think, ‘Jeeeeesus, I should have stuck with footy this winter,’” he continued, in reference to Australian rules football, which he had played at a high level back home.
Things took an upturn after his teammates took him on a night out and he woke up on the Monday morning and “gave myself a good hard look in the mirror - ‘Grow up, stop larking about and have a crack.’”
His form improved from there and he showed glimpses of the skill that would make him so feared “He said, ‘Barks I just by batters around the don’t understand it, I was world. buying them drinks on Ultimately, he finished Friday night’. the 1991 season as the
“I just looked at him sixth best bowler in the and said: ‘Welcome to the league, with 73 wickets at Lancashire League. In this an average of 15.4. With part of the world, this is the bat, he scored just 329 Test cricket’.” runs at an average of 15,
Warne making him the 73rd best was getting batsman, and Accringwhacked. He ton’s selection committee wasn’t pickdecided they wanted a pro ing up wickwho would contribute ets, and he with both bat and ball. wasn’t faring Warne went on to finish any better his career with 708 Test with the bat. wickets, only second to Of his first Muttiah Muralitharan, but f i v e his influence on Australma t c h e s , ia’s all-conquering side Accrington across several formats lost four. during a 15-year playing
Writing in career contributed his autobitowards a legacy that ography, No inspired generations of Spin, Warne cricketers. recalled his Among the many tribstruggles in utes which poured in after his early matches. his death, David ‘Bumble’
“The first game, batting Lloyd said: “Shane was at four, I got run out. The generous to a fault. He committee called me in lived life to the full, he was and said: ‘Listen, the pro Peter Pan, but when it never gets run out. You came to cricket, he was have to learn to turn your serious. back on the bloke and “He championed the burn him.’ game. He was serious
“I argued back, saying about cricket but he the run out was just one of wanted it to be fun. He those things and that I wanted bowling to be fun, to smile at the opposition when they hit you for six. He had this God-given talent and he was so grateful for it that he always wanted to help other players.
“Any young spinner who came into the game at whatever level, he would go and talk to them, work with them, give them a pat on the back. He was an immense character, but as a player he was top of the tree.
“For me, he’s the best I’ve ever seen.”
“He lived life to the full, he was Peter Pan, but when it came to cricket, he was serious.”