Shane Warne: The cricketing genius and born showman who transcended his sport

The phrase ‘larger than life’ could have been coined for Shane Warne, a man whose prodigious cricketing skills, mega-watt star power and ability to draw a crowd allowed him to transcend his career and his craft.

When he spun the ball it was big, almost impossibly so. When he hung up his boots his numbers were staggering – the second highest wicket-taker of all time and one of only two to boast over 1,000 international scalps.

Even when he crossed the line or courted controversy, as he did more than once in a colourful professional and private life, he did so with a mighty stride rather than a gentle step.

Little wonder, then, that the outpouring of grief that followed his shocking death at the age of 52 was so huge. With Shane Warne, there were never any small measures.

He was destined for stardom from the moment he delivered what was subsequently known, by unanimous consent, as ‘the ball of the century’.

The date was June 4, 1993 and the opponents were Ashes rivals England. Warne, a novice at 23 years old, was preparing to bowl his first ever delivery against the old enemy.

Tossing the ball up well outside leg stump, it briefly looked as if he had lost his nerve, but former England captain Mike Gatting was left dumbstruck as it ragged off the Old Trafford pitch, spinning outrageously until it flicked the off stump.

Gatting briefly wondered if he had been the victim of an attempted stumping, so improbable was the degree of turn. Even watching it now, almost 30 years later, it barely makes sense.

Commentating for the BBC was Richie Benaud, another great Australian leg-spinner and a connoisseur of the art.

“He’s started off with the most beautiful delivery,” he purred.

“Gatting has absolutely no idea what happened to it.