Close friend shares last photo taken of Shane Warne as Glenn McGrath recalls his final phone call with legend

Shane Warne’s close friend Tom Hall has shared what is believed to be the last image ever taken of the King of Spin, just hours before his sudden death in Thailand late on Friday night (AEDT).

Warne is seen beaming in the close-up photo, clearly ecstatic about beginning what was supposed to be a three-month holiday after an arduous summer of work.

Watch Glenn McGrath pay tribute to Warnie in the video above

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Hall, the chief executive of The Sporting News, was already on the Thai holiday island of Koh Samui when Warne and three mates arrived on Thursday.

He had earlier described how Warne had tucked in to the most Australian of meals in their luxury Thai villa, believed to be the cricket legend’s last before he suffered a suspected heart attack and died.

“I have dined with Shane in many fine establishments, but rather than sample some of the local Thai fare, we tuck into a plate of Vegemite on toast,” Mr Hall wrote in an article on The Sporting News.

“Shane chomping away: ‘Geez, you can’t beat Vegemite with some butter, always great wherever you are in the world’.

“An Australian through and through - this was to turn out to be his last meal.”

The pair ate together while watching the start of Australia’s Test match against Pakistan - a viewing party quickly interrupted by Warne stepping out to collect a present for Hall.

“He came back with an armful of clothes looking like he had been at a yard sale,” Hall wrote, describing a collection of valuable playing gear from Warnie’s career.

Hall later paid tribute to Warne on Instagram by posting an image of a Vegemite jar at the Thai villa.

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