SHANE Warne has been announced as this year’s inductee into the Australian Cricket Hall of Fame. The legendary leg-spinner’s tally of 708 Test wickets is the second most in history, behind only Sri Lanka spinner Muttiah Muralitharan, while he added 293 in one-day internationals. He will be inducted into the Hall of Fame at today’s Allan Border Medal ceremony in Melbourne.
Warne said: “To be inducted into the Hall of Fame is just a massive honour, and it makes me feel very proud.”
He added: “When you look back, so many wonderful players have been inducted into the Hall of Fame.
“To be mentioned in the same breath as some of those cricketers, and to be inducted so soon after my international retirement, is a great privilege.
“I’m thinking about the Allan Border medals that I’ve attended and listened to people getting up and talking about these wonderful cricketers who played a long time ago, watching some of these guys growing up and as kids pretending I was one of them with my brother in the backyard.
“To be joining such company is something I’m very proud of.”
Warne was named as one of Wisden’s five Cricketers of the Century in 2000, while his total of 3,154 Test runs is the highest ever without a century. His will be the 36th name in the Australian Hall of Fame since it opened in 1996.
ACHoF chairman David Crow said: “Shane Warne’s contribution to cricket has been enormous. He revived leg-spin, combining accuracy with variety and enormous turn, even on unhelpful pitches.
“Beyond his phenomenal record, Shane Warne changed the way cricket was played and has inspired a new generation of cricketers worldwide to take up the challenging craft of spin bowling.” (PA Sport).