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| Cricket stars hail legend Warne | Cricket stars hail legend Warne |
| (about 11 hours later) | |
| Leading cricketers from Australia and England have spoken of their admiration for Shane Warne as retirement looms for Test cricket's leading wicket-taker. | Leading cricketers from Australia and England have spoken of their admiration for Shane Warne as retirement looms for Test cricket's leading wicket-taker. |
| England's Paul Collingwood, who was dismissed by Warne on his Ashes debut in 2005, said: "The guy is a legend. | England's Paul Collingwood, who was dismissed by Warne on his Ashes debut in 2005, said: "The guy is a legend. |
| "In cricketing terms he is the ultimate legend. He's probably the best bowler there has ever been on this planet. | "In cricketing terms he is the ultimate legend. He's probably the best bowler there has ever been on this planet. |
| "He's always in your ear and the balls coming down are great to face - it's what you play the game for." | "He's always in your ear and the balls coming down are great to face - it's what you play the game for." |
| Watch Warne's wonder ball to Gatting | |
| There was something special about him, right from the word go Allan Border | There was something special about him, right from the word go Allan Border |
| Mark Taylor, Australia captain from 1994-99, said the spin wizard's larger-than-life character is key to his success. | Mark Taylor, Australia captain from 1994-99, said the spin wizard's larger-than-life character is key to his success. |
| "Not only is he a great bowler but he's also a great thinker," he said. "He got a lot of people out with wonderful deliveries but also out-thought a lot. | "Not only is he a great bowler but he's also a great thinker," he said. "He got a lot of people out with wonderful deliveries but also out-thought a lot. |
| "He was an aggressive leg-spin bowler, he didn't just toss them up, he would grunt and groan and have a body language more like a fast bowler. | "He was an aggressive leg-spin bowler, he didn't just toss them up, he would grunt and groan and have a body language more like a fast bowler. |
| "That sort of character is one of the reasons he took so many Test wickets." | "That sort of character is one of the reasons he took so many Test wickets." |
| Former selector Allan Border, who skippered Warne when he first emerged in dramatic fashion during the Ashes tour of England in 1993, thought the match-winner could still play on for several seasons. | Former selector Allan Border, who skippered Warne when he first emerged in dramatic fashion during the Ashes tour of England in 1993, thought the match-winner could still play on for several seasons. |
| "It's just caught everyone by surprise," Border said. "He's in superb touch, he's bowling well, physically he's very well. | "It's just caught everyone by surprise," Border said. "He's in superb touch, he's bowling well, physically he's very well. |
| "I just got the inkling that he was even considering one more tilt at England in England and that would see him out." | "I just got the inkling that he was even considering one more tilt at England in England and that would see him out." |
| His performances have not only shaped cricket in Australia but worldwide Merv Hughes | His performances have not only shaped cricket in Australia but worldwide Merv Hughes |
| Border was also captain when Warne made his Test debut against India at Sydney in January 1992 and recalls: "There was something special about him, right from the word go." | Border was also captain when Warne made his Test debut against India at Sydney in January 1992 and recalls: "There was something special about him, right from the word go." |
| Former Aussie paceman Geoff Lawson was also surprised by the revelations, and feels Warne could have created even greater history. | Former Aussie paceman Geoff Lawson was also surprised by the revelations, and feels Warne could have created even greater history. |
| "I thought he still had a couple of years left in him and I thought he was good for a thousand Test wickets," Lawson said. | |
| "Having regained the Ashes after the disaster of 2005 and doing it in such terrific style, that might have influenced his decision. | |
| "Without Shane Warne, Australia would not be 3-0 up in the series. They might have won one but they wouldn't have won in Adelaide or Perth without him and if he's going to go out then I suppose it's best to go out on a high. | |
| "There will be a lot of disappointed fans around the world, but there won't be too many disappointed opposing batsmen." | |
| Australia selector Merv Hughes, another former team-mate of Warne, joined the tributes. | Australia selector Merv Hughes, another former team-mate of Warne, joined the tributes. |
| "Whatever you say about Shane Warne it isn't enough," Hughes said. | "Whatever you say about Shane Warne it isn't enough," Hughes said. |
| "His performances have not only shaped cricket in Australia but worldwide. He's been a real revelation. | "His performances have not only shaped cricket in Australia but worldwide. He's been a real revelation. |
| "You got to coaching clinics and see kids with their hair dyed blonde and wanting to bowl leg-spin. | "You got to coaching clinics and see kids with their hair dyed blonde and wanting to bowl leg-spin. |
| "There are memories all through his career, most people go through a purple patch and Shane Warne has had a purple patch for 15 of 16 years." | "There are memories all through his career, most people go through a purple patch and Shane Warne has had a purple patch for 15 of 16 years." |