Former Australia cricketer Greg Chappell believes that Shane Warne’s identity in the cricket world was more than just being a great leg-spinner.
He said that Warne’s success on the field became a catalyst for many youngsters to become leg-spinners in cricket.
A shocked cricket world is paying tribute to Warne, who died suddenly on Friday following a suspected heart attack on the island of Koh Samui in Thailand.
“Shane was more than just a leg-spinner. He was an entertainer with immense charisma who attracted attention wherever he went. His success inspired millions of spectators to take up the game and bring to life the art of leg spin.
“It also gave birth to a new generation of leg spinners who tried to walk up to the crease and rip it! “He didn’t have Shane’s brute strength and native finesse, so few have reached great heights,” Chappell wrote in his column for the Sydney Morning Herald on Monday.
Chappell, whose cricketing days for Australia came to an end before Warne’s entry, spoke about what it was like to see the legendary leg-spinner in action.
“Watching Varney bowl was like watching the enactment of the Obermergau Passion Play. Everything was finely tuned, elaborately planned and played according to a tried and tested script. Ian Healy and the close fielder were important characters, but for Varney, it was as much about theatrics as it was about the art of spin bowling.”
Chappell then went on to explain how body alignment played a key role in making Warne an impressive leg-spinner.
“He was a magician as a spin bowler. In his early days, he swung the ball as hard as anyone had. Those batting against him said it looked like the ball had a life of its own. Because it swung towards him, submerged and then went crazy off the pitch. His strong body and big, muscular hands were another important part of what made him that bowler.
“This, associated with a downward grip in the fingers in the palm of the hand, was very different from the traditional leg spinners of previous generations, who held the ball higher towards the end of the fingers. Their grip and strong shoulder action, throughout the follow- With the through, would really make the ball buzz.”
Chappell said that the mourning cricket world will never get to see a leg-spinner like Warne on the field.
“No one has had a bigger impact on the game since World War II than Shane, who managed to combine a flamboyant personal life with a stellar, story-telling cricket career.
“His influence reached every corner of the cricketing world and beyond. Tributes are pouring in from all points of view, indicating the respect in which he was held by admirers and foes alike. We will never see him like him again, and neither will anyone close.”
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