'Fit as a fiddle' ex-Australian cricketer has a heart attack

A former Australian international cricketer has been placed in an induced coma after suffering a heart attack. 

Ryan Campbell, 50, who made five appearances for Australia and was a WA cricket mainstay, was with his children at a playground in London on Saturday when he collapsed. 

A passer-by performed CPR before he was rushed to hospital. 

Campbell, a wicketkeeper and batsman, had recently taken up a head coaching job in the Netherlands. 

'He was here in Perth just last week and fit as a fiddle,' 6PR Radio presenter Gareth Parker tweeted on Tuesday. 

Parker said Campbell's family and friends who he caught up with while in Perth were in shock. 

He added Campbell was in ICU and 'unresponsive' but was breathing on his own under the close care of doctors. 

Campbell was a former teammate of Shane Warne, having played a one day international against New Zealand with the cricket legend in 2002. 

Warne, just two years older at 52, suffered a fatal heart attack in Thailand in March. 

Campbell, who was an understudy of former Australian wicket-keeper Adam Gilchrist, said playing with Warne had been a highlight of his career. 

'Shane Warne is clearly the greatest I've ever played with or against,' he told Firstsportz in 2020.

'What that guy could do on a cricket field still amazes me… Gilly is up there and I was also a massive Steve Waugh fan.'

'These guys were so great because they always got in the fight and always wanted to win.'

More to follow.