The Highs and Lows of Shane Warne's Cricket Career

Shane Warne was without doubt one of the greatest cricketers in the history of the game, and he dominated the sport for over a decade in a talented Australian team.

The leg-spinner took over 1,000 wickets in international cricket and was part of some of Australia’s most memorable victories.

He can reflect on a highly successful career, one in which he helped his country dominate and became known the world over for reviving the art of leg spin.

However, it wasn’t all plain sailing, and Warne had some difficult moments.

With that in mind, and on his 46th birthday, let’s reflect on some highs and lows from Warne’s career.

On India’s tour of Australia in 1991/92, Warne was handed his debut in the third Test at the Sydney Cricket Ground, and did well with the bat as he made 20 from 67 balls at No. 10.

While the game ended in a tame draw, it was a significant one for Warne as he became the newest member of the Baggy Green.

Unfortunately, Warne’s performance with the ball on debut was disappointing to say the least as he bowled 45 overs and took 1-150.

His only wicket was that of Ravi Shastri, who had made 206 opening the batting before he was caught by Dean Jones.

It was a tough start for Warne, although he would have taken a modicum of comfort in claiming his first Test scalp.

England’s Ashes tour of 1994/95 was a difficult one for the visitors, as a rampant Australia tore them apart repeatedly, starting at the first Test in Brisbane.

The away side were set an improbable 508 to win having conceded a massive lead in the first innings, although they were not asked to follow-on by the hosts.

Enter Warne, who took his best ever Test figures of 8-71 in the second innings, only failing to dismiss Mike Gatting and Steve Rhodes.

It would have been extra sweet coming against England, especially as it set Australia on the way to another Ashes series win.

Before the start of the 2003 Cricket World Cup, Warne announced it would be his last action in one-day international cricket, but two days after the tournament began, scandal broke.

The Australian superstar was found to have tested positive for a banned substance, one he claimed had been given to him by his mother to aid with weight loss.

He was banned from the game for a year and sent home in disgrace, and forced to watch from home as Australia won the tournament in dominant fashion.

In the second Test of the 1994/95 Ashes, Warne was causing England all sorts of headaches once again as Australia romped to another easy win.

The away side again batted last requiring 388 to win, but crumbled against Craig McDermott and the economical Warne.

To cap things off, Warne dismissed Phil DeFreitas, Darren Gough and Devon Malcolm from consecutive balls to pick up a hat-trick, then McDermott wrapped up the win.

The 2005 Ashes could so easily have been either a high or a low point for Warne, as he took 40 wickets but saw his side lose 2-1 to England in the five-Test series.

As the rest of the bowling attack changed around him with virtually every passing game, Warne remained a constant, and a constant threat.

The fact that he bowled significantly more overs than anyone else shows how much he was relied upon, and he will have been so disappointed to lose away to England for the first time.

The 2006/07 Ashes represented both a chance at redemption and a swansong for Warne, who would retire at the conclusion of the series.

He did not disappoint, as he took 23 wickets in Australia’s 5-0 whitewash of their biggest rivals.

In his final Test at Sydney, Warne took only two wickets in the game but was chaired from the field along with his fellow retiring team-mates to cap a brilliant international career.

While Warne had retired from international cricket, he continued to play domestically, especially in Australia’s Big Bash League for the Melbourne Stars.

That led to an ugly incident in early 2013, as he got into a heated argument with West Indian Marlon Samuels during a game against the Melbourne Renegades.

Samuels grabbed David Hussey to Warne’s disgust, who criticised his actions and conduct for all to hear over the stump microphone.

Later, Warne fielded a Samuels drive and flipped it back toward him, to which Samuels responded by throwing his bat at the leg-spinner.

Warne was banned for one game and fined, while Samuels got away with just a reprimand after what was one of the more unsporting incidents on a cricket field in recent times.