Shane Warne’s kids reveal watching cricket ‘doesn’t feel right’ anymore

The children of the late Shane Warne have revealed watching the cricketing legend’s former sport is too painful now that his iconic presence is missing from the pitch.

Warne’s family admission comes as the King of Spin was made a Legend in the Sport Australia Hall of Fame.

Warne was inducted into the Sport Australia Hall of Fame in 2009 as an athlete Member and with his rise to “Legend status”, becomes the fifth Australian cricketer to achieve the prestigious honour.

145 Tests, 194 ODIs, 1,001 wickets, the first person to reach 700 Test wickets, one of 5 Wisden Cricketers of the 20th Century, the greatest of all time.
Congratulations Shane Warne; The man, the myth and now the Legend.

Read more: https://t.co/nXAlRiiWsU#SAHOF22 | #Legend pic.twitter.com/QrlEFmYeRh

— Sport Australia Hall of Fame (@sportaushof) December 4, 2022

In their first interview since their father’s State Funeral at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG), Brooke Warne told 7News that the award was an “awesome” achievement.

Warne’s Legend status is well earned given his impressive sporting achievements on the cricket pitch throughout his professional career. He was considered one of the greatest bowlers in cricket history.

He played his first Test match in 1992 and took over 1,000 wickets in Tests and One-Day Internationals over the course of his career. Warne’s 708 Test wickets from 145 tests was the record for the most wickets taken by any bowler in Test cricket until 2007.

Jackson Warne said he wished his father could have been around to receive the honour, saying it “would have meant a lot to him”.

Warne’s Legend status in the Hall of Fame was awarded to him nine months to the day of his death and his kids say dealing with the loss of their father hasn’t gotten any easier for them.

“It’s probably been the hardest nine months of my life so far,” Summer Warne said.

“I miss him every day. Something happens every day that I wish I could tell him … I still think he’s gonna walk through the door and be like, ‘Ohh, how good would some bloody fish and chips be right now’.”

The family said watching cricket is painful because it’s a reminder that Warne is no longer with them.

“Now when I’m sort of listening to cricket it’s … that missing voice that I can’t hear anymore,” Jackson said.

“Cricket was his sport and I think it doesn’t feel really right without him there,” Summer said.

Warne’s life was tragically cut short after he died of a suspected heart attack, age 52, while holidaying on the island of Koh Samui in Thailand on March 4.

Following his sudden death, Warne’s management released a statement acknowledging the tragedy.

“Shane was found unresponsive in his villa and despite the best efforts of medical staff, he could not be revived,” the statement said.