Australian cricket legend Shane Warne dies at 52

Australia cricket great Shane Warne has died at the age of 52, his management company said on Friday. 

"Shane was found unresponsive in his villa and despite the best efforts of medical staff, he could not be revived," the statement said. "The family requests privacy at this time and will provide further details in due course."

The cricket player passed away from a suspected heart attack in Koh Samui, Thailand, the statement continued. Thai police are not treating his death as suspicious, according to Reuters.

It comes just hours after news of the death of fellow Australian great Rod Marsh, one of cricket's outstanding wicketkeepers.

Warne expressed his condolences to Rod Marsh's death yesterday in a tweet, just hours before his own passing. "He was a legend of our great game and an inspiration to so many young boys and girls."

Warne was seen by many the greatest leg-spinner of all time after taking 708 test wickets in a test career spanning from 1992 to 2007.

He later played in the Indian Premier League and other Twenty20 competitions before retiring from playing the sport in 2013. But he continued to be involved in the game as a broadcaster.

Tributes to Shane Warne

The cricket world has been responding to the news of Warne's death. Australia's current captain, Pat Cummins, wrote: "We all idolised Warnie growing up for his showmanship, will to win from any position and his incredible skill.

"Players all over the world owe him so much for what he has brought to cricket."

The captain of India's national cricket team Rohit Sharma tweeted: "I’m truly lost for words here, this is extremely sad. An absolute legend and champion of our game has left us."

The England Cricket Twitter account described Warne as "One of the greatest of all-time. A Legend. A genius. You changed cricket". The England men's team are currently in the Caribbean, preparing for a three-Test series against the West Indies.

Jasprit Bumrah, India's vice captain, tweeted he was "shocked beyond words" describing Warne as "A legend of our game, an icon, and someone who revolutionised spin bowling."

Australia opener David Warner wrote: "Two legends of our game have left us too soon. I'm lost for words, and this is extremely sad. My thoughts and prayers go out to the Marsh and Warne family. I just can not believe it. #rip, you will both be missed."

West Indies great Brian Lara wrote he was "speechless" adding: "I literally don’t know how to sum up this situation. My friend is gone!! We have lost one of the Greatest Sportsmen of all time!"

Former Pakistan Cricket team captain, Shahid Afridi, also wrote: "The game of cricket has lost what I consider a university of leg-spin bowling today. I was inspired by his bowling from the start of my career and it was always a privilege to play against him."

Ball of the century

England's former captain Mike Gatting said he was "happy" to have been bowled by the "ball of the century" that kick-started Warne's career as one of cricket's greatest bowlers.

In 1993, Warne, making his Ashes debut at Manchester's Old Trafford ground, saw his first ball pitch outside leg-stump and then spin viciously across bemused England batsman Gatting to clip the top of the off-bail.

As the late Richie Benaud, a former Australia leg-spinner, remarked during his television commentary: "Gatting has absolutely no idea what has happened to him — and he still doesn't know."

fh/rt (AFP, Reuters)