James Erskine, the manager of Shane Warne, has now finally revealed the details of the former cricketer’s passing away and how things had transpired in Warne’s last moments. Warne, arguably the greatest ever bowler, died on Friday, aged 52, while on a vacation in Thailand due to a suspected heart attack.
Warne’s close friend and associate Andrew Neophitou tried to revive him by giving a CPR but was unsuccessful and Warne breathed his last, sending the world in a state of shock and sadness. Neophitou is the executive producer of the recently released documentary on the cricketer, SHANE.
Warne’s manager James Erskine, speaking with Fox Cricket, revealed that the legendary leg-spinner was in Thailand at the beginning of three months off having spent the summer working on the Ashes.
“Shane was having three months off and this was the start of it. They had only arrived the night before,” Erskine said.
“They were going to go out for a drink at 5 o’clock, and (Neophitou) knocked on his door at 5.15pm because Warnie was always on time and said “come on you’re going to be late” and then realised something was wrong.”
Erskine said Neophitou then attempted to perform CPR before the ambulance arrived to take Warne to hospital but he was soon after pronounced dead.
Foreign Affairs Minister Marise Payne, then confirmed that the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade officials had been in touch with Warne’s travelling companions, and would travel to Koh Sumai, where he was staying in Thailand, to “provide further assistance”.
Shane Warne has been taken to a local hospital for an autopsy, and will then be repatriated ahead of an expected state funeral.
Soon after the news broke, the Victorian government announced on Saturday that The Great Southern Stand at the MCG will be renamed the S.K. Warne Stand, while Warne’s family will be offered a state funeral. Prime Minister Scott Morrison described him as one of the nation’s greatest cricketers and characters.
“Australians have woken in shock and sadness to the awful news of the death of Shane Warne, aged just 52,” Morrison said.
“Shane was one of our greatest cricketers of all time, one of only a few that could approach the extraordinary achievements of the great Don Bradman. His achievements were the product of his talent, discipline and passion for the game he loved.
“But Shane was more than this to Australians. He was one of our nation’s greatest characters. His humour, his passion, his irreverence, his approachability ensured he was loved by all,” the Australian Prime Minister said.
Shane Warne had made his debut against India in 1992, and went on to attain greatness in spin bowling, claiming 1001 international wickets – 293 in ODIs and 708 Test wickets – a tally only bettered by Sri Lanka’s Muralitharan who snared 1347 international dismissals. He won five Ashes series and the 1999 World Cup, playing a crucial role in all of them.
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