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The Australian sporting hero died soon after ordering a new suit and calling two Thai masseuses to his holiday villa, police said yesterday.

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A television was showing the Australia vs Pakistan Test match as pals tried desperately to resuscitate him after a suspected heart attack.

Warne had suffered chest pains before leaving his homeland for the Thai island of Ko Samui for a week’s holiday with friends.

His manager also revealed the cricket great had just started a three-month break from his hectic schedule.

Paramedic Anuch Han-iam told The Sun that Warne was unresponsive by the time he and a colleague arrived at the two-storey villa at the Samujan resort at 5pm local time on Friday.

“Shane’s friends were already trying to bring him back to life,” he said.

“I took over doing CPR while we waited for an ambulance.

“They were desperate. I think one was crying. They were really stressed and panicked.

“They kept trying to wake him and I heard someone saying, ‘Come on, Shane. Come on, Shane’.

“I could see they were all shocked and I just tried to concentrate and do my best.

“There were about four or five other people in the room. All men, there were no women.

“The villa was clean and I didn’t see any beer or cigarettes inside.

“There was nothing unusual that made me think they’d been partying. I didn’t know when I arrived that it was Shane Warne. But I know who he is, he’s a star.

“I did my best for him and gave all my energy. I’m so sorry that I couldn’t help him.”

Thai cops yesterday released pictures of the room — as forensics teams continued their work at the AU$3500-a-night villa.

Fox Cricket pundit and dad-of-three Warne had earlier visited a tailor to have a suit cut, said Police chief Yuttana Sirisombat.

“He called the girl to massage. It was just massage,” he said,

“He didn’t die because of the massage. He wasn’t well.”

Colonel Sirisombat said Warne’s family had told police the star was suffering health problems before jetting off.

He explained: “He had asthma and had seen a doctor about his heart. We learned from his family that he had experienced chest pains when he was back home.”

Police confirmed no alcohol or drugs were found in the room.

Officers yesterday interviewed Warne’s friends for two hours.

They are treating the death as non-suspicious and have ruled out foul play.

There were no signs of a break-in or violent argument in the villa room. Warne’s body is due to be transferred to Surat Thani on the Thai mainland.

Authorities said it would have to test negative for Covid-19 before the autopsy which is due today.

Colonel Sirisombat said investigators were examining whether blood stains in the room were caused by attempts to revive him, or another medical issue.

He went on: “So far, no suspicious issue found from the investigations.

“However, the blood stain was seen on the floor which the friends told police was the consequence of CPR practices.

“Therefore, the investigators have to scrutinise it clearly before concluding the case and all assumptions still remain.”

Warne’s family — including his former wife Simone Callahan and their children Brooke, Summer and Jackson — were said to be in shock last night.

Warne, regarded as Test cricket’s greatest bowler with 708 wickets, had flown to Thailand on Thursday with friends including Andrew Neophitou, Gareth Edwards and John Dopere.

Mr Neophitou, executive producer on the recently-released Amazon Prime film Shane about the star, had found Warne unresponsive late on Friday afternoon.

Warne’s pal and long-time ­manager James Erskine told Fox Sports in Australia: “Neo knocked on his door because Warnie is always on time.

“He said, ‘Come on you’re going to be late’ and then realised something was wrong.

“He turned him over and gave him CPR and mouth to mouth, which lasted about 20 minutes and then the ambulance came.

“They took him to the hospital, which was about a 20-minute drive and I got a phone call about 45 minutes later saying he had been pronounced dead.”

Mr Neophitou, thought to have been staying in the next-door room, said yesterday: “We just really want to get Shane home.”

Mr Erskine said that Warne had asked for time off before working as a commentator in England this summer. He was also due to coach London Spirit his team in The Hundred competition.

Mr Erskine said: “Shane had sort of decided he was going to have three months off.

“He wanted a year off, and I said ‘There’s no way you can (do that) they would have forgotten you by a year’. So he decided to have three months off.

“And this was just the start of it, and they’d only arrived the day or night before.”

This article originally appeared on The Sun and was reproduced with permission

The cricketing world was left in disbelief after the news broke that the 52-year-old had died of a heart attack in Thailand overnight.

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Warne was found unresponsive in a villa on Koh Samui on Friday afternoon when one friend reportedly tried to wake him to no avail.

Warne had gone away with mates as he took three months off from work.

Tributes have come thick and fast for the cricket legend, from current and former players, to admirers of his cricketing exploits and everything in between.

It has also been revealed Warne will be honoured at a State Funeral and the Great Southern Stand at his beloved MCG will be renamed the S.K. Warne Stand.

Gone too soon, there was an outpouring of grief from across the world, while Fox Cricket held a special tribute to the shiekh of tweak turned commentator.

Former England star Isa Guha left no dry eyes in the place as she paid tribute to Warne.

“Just stunned. I loved him, and he just did so much for so many people and he was magic,” Guha said.

“He was magic, watching him on the screen as a cricketer.

“So many incredible stories of him playing cricket.

“But post that, he just made people feel that much taller, ten foot taller, which is a tremendous help to me, specifically.

“Coming into the commentary box, I could have felt quite intimated being around someone like Shane Warne.

“But he showed tremendous respect, and when he respected and liked someone, he always had that loyalty and generosity, and that just gave me tremendous confidence in the commentary box.”

She said Warne supported her as a broadcaster but also radiated gratitude for his life and his family.

Former England captain Michael Vaughan struggled to get through his interview on Fox Cricket, saying he was “like everybody else, absolutely gutted” and that he was “distraught”.

Vaughan, who commentated alongside Warne during the Ashes, said he went from rivals on the field to mates off it.

The former English captain said he shared Warne’s last Christmas with Shane and his family and said it was “very special to me”.

Vaughan said that while he may have passed at the young age of 52, that he had fit as much life has he could, saying “he’s probably lived the age of an 85-year-old. One thing the King has done is that every minute he’s been on this planet earth, he’s made the most of it.”

But asked about what Warne means to the UK, Vaughan was overcome with emotions, saying he had spoken to many of them yesterday.

“They’re gutted, he’s going to be hugely missed over here,” Vaughan said as he couldn’t hold his emotions in any longer.

Vaughan also took to Instagram, sharing a picture of he and Warne together over Christmas.

“It just doesn’t feel real to be talking about someone who once was an enemy on the pitch to one who became a great friend off it,” he wrote. “Shane was the greatest ever cricketer but more than that his character lit up every dressing room, comm box, bar, golf club & friendship group.

“I will never ever forget the warmth he & his family gave me this winter when I was down under for Xmas alone. To say I spent Warneys last Xmas with him & his family is so sad but one I will cherish. All of us eating Turkey, beef, the usual Xmas trimmings & the King to stick to his Lasagne sandwich’s with bread rolls plastered with butter … that’s Warney.”

Former Australian captain Allan Border said he had shed plenty of tears after the death of Rod Marsh on Friday and Warne in the early hours of Saturday morning.

“I’ve shed some tears over the last couple of days with Rod Marsh. It’s going to be hard getting through the next couple of days finally realising I’m not going to see Shane again,” Border said.

“It’s just so sad.”

Border also said Warne well in the argument for the greatest bowler Australia has ever produced.

“Sir Donald Bradman was a batsman, he’s our best batsman,” Border said.

“But who’s our best bowler? That starts an interesting debate: Lillee and McGrath, but Warne’s got to be our best bowler ever.

“When Shane Warne was in the Australian cricket team, Australia wins Test matches. It was the same with Bradman.”

Wicketkeeping legend Adam Gilchrist said he was “stunned, numb” over the news.

“I’ve said so many times to so many people, the highlight of my cricketing career was to wicketkeep to Shane Warne,” Gilchrist said.

“I feel like we (he and Ian Healy) were thieves in the night being pretty much the only two to have the best seat in the house to watch a maestro at work. I feel like we’ve done the wrong thing by society to steal those seats for so long. But gee, it was a highlight, it was the best part of the game.”

Brett Lee said it was a “horrible day” and said he was in disbelief when he first heard the news.

The tributes continue to flow in thick and fast, going to show what a great man Shane Warne was and the lives he will continue to touch for many years to come.

On Friday evening AEDT, local reports emerged of the blast that occurred moments before Friday prayers in the Kocha Risaldar area of Peshawar, around 190 kilometres west of Pakistan capital Islamabad.

Peshawar is a two-and-a-half hour drive from Rawalpindi, where Australia’s cricket team was playing the first day of a historic Test match against Pakistan.

According to reports, children and the elderly are among the injured.

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“We are in a state of emergency and the injured are being shifted to the hospital,” police officer Mohammad Sajjad Khan told Reuters.

“We are investigating the nature of the blast, but it seemed to a suicide attack.”

Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan has condemned the attack, which is reportedly an incident between rival Muslim factions.

The explosion blew out the windows of nearby buildings, and frantic rescuers were seen ferrying the dead and wounded from the scene.

“I saw a man firing at two policemen before he entered the mosque,” a witness told AFP. “Seconds later I heard a big bang.”

Another witness told AP: “I opened my eyes and there was dust and bodies everywhere.”

Graphic videos of the blast’s aftermath circulated social media channels.

Muhammad Asim Khan, a spokesman for Peshawar’s Lady Reading Hospital, confirmed the death toll of 30 and said hospitals have declared an emergency.

The Australian men’s cricket team has not toured the Asian nation since 1998 due to security concerns.

Speaking to reporters on Sunday, Australian Test captain Pat Cummins said he was reassured by the touring party’s high-level security, the sort normally reserved for visiting heads of state.

Over 4000 security personnel are providing support for the first Test in Rawalpindi.

“It’s comforting. We are really lucky to be surrounded by so many professionals,” Cummins said.

“Absolutely feel incredibly safe. Lots of security, straight off the plane and straight to the hotel.”

Last week, Cricket Australia investigated a death threat that was sent to the partner of spin bowler Ashton Agar.

— with AFP

As first revealed by The Daily Telegraph, team performance boss Ben Oliver informed players and staff of Beakley’s sacking three days before the physio was due to fly to Pakistan on Saturday.

Beakley, who had served in the role since 2015, joins former head coach Justin Langer and team manager Gavin Dovey in the dramatic post-Ashes shuffle of Australia’s hierarchy.

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But according to the News Corp report, Beakley had the full support of the playing group, who were bewildered at the lack of explanation they received for the decision.

Speaking to reporters from his Islamabad hotel on Wednesday, Australian off-spinner Nathan Lyon confessed the players were disappointed to see Beakley go.

“Obviously it was pretty disappointing news from a player point of view, but in saying that it’s out of our control,” he said.

“We don’t make the big decisions on that, so we’ll leave it up to CA and everyone else involved.

“But it was disappointing to hear, obviously we’ve got a very close relationship with Beats. He was a very professional physio and someone who I personally loved working with.

“It is disappointing, but we’ve just got to move on.”

News Corp reporter David Riccio lamented the “terrible timing” of Beakley’s departure on SEN Breakfast.

“Don’t underestimate the role of the high-performance staff,” he said on Wednesday morning. “They are absolutely critical, particularly on tour.

“And on the eve of this tour, Cricket Australia have gone and punted the head physio, David Beakley.

“There is a suggestion that his exit is a shot somehow back from Cricket Australia to the players, given it was considered that player power was blamed for the demise of Justin Langer.

“It won’t read as shocking as a head coach to cricket fans, but I argue it is just as influential.”

Speaking to The Daily Telegraph, former Australian paceman James Pattinson described Beakley as one of the best physios he had worked with.

“He is a great guy and a good physio. It’s surprising to see him get moved on,” he said.

“I know a lot of the fast bowlers were pretty close with him and that’s usually what you want. Fast bowlers spend the most time in the physio room. I was pretty shocked by it but I don’t really know anything else apart from that.

“I’m out of the loop a bit now, so I’m not sure what’s happened, but all the experiences I’ve had with him have been fantastic. He’s been up there with one of the best physios I’ve had.”

The first Test between Pakistan and Australia gets underway on Friday, with the first ball scheduled for 4pm AEDT.

Australia’s tour of Pakistan

March 4-8 — First Test, Rawalpindi

March 12-16 — Second Test, Karachi

March 21-25 — Third Test, Lahore

March 29 — First ODI, Rawalpindi

March 31 — Second ODI, Rawalpindi

April 2 — Third ODI, Rawalpindi

April 5 — Only T20I, Rawalpindi

Ahead of the fourth T20I against Sri Lanka — Australia leads 3-0 — Finch trumpeted changes, including the regular opener moving down as low as No. 5.

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Finch, who hasn’t scored a T20I 50 since July last year against the West Indies — now 11 innings ago — has been facing renewed questions despite leading Australia to T20 World Cup victory late last year.

In trying to reignite his form, Finch has tried batting down the order, however, the side brought Ashton Agar up to open, which Waugh said didn’t make sense as Finch struggled.

He said it was clear there were still several questions, including the position of Steve Smith in the T20 World Cup side and Finch’s position leading the side.

Finch came in first drop in the last match as the side appears to be try and fit Ben McDermott in the top of the order ahead of the World Cup defence, and teased a move as low as five in the order.

The 35-year-old white-ball skipper has had a horrid run over the past few years, scoring just 179 runs from 13 innings at 13.76 in BBL 2020-21.

However, having stood down from the captaincy of the Melbourne Renegades, Finch starred, topping the Renegades run scorers with 386 runs at 38.6 and a strike rate of 130.40.

And last year, Finch scored the second most runs for the calendar year, hitting 459 runs at an average of 28.68 and a strike rate of 125.06. He did play 17 matches though, less than only run scoring leader Mitchell Marsh, middle order batsman Matthew Wade and spinner Adam Zampa.

During the World Cup, while David Warner slammed 289 runs at an average of 48.17 and strike rate of 146.70, Finch scored 135 runs at 19.29 and a strike rate of 116.38.

And once he was unceremoniously dropped by the Kolkata Knight Riders in 2020, Finch has been unable to nab an IPL contract.

While he does score more runs than most, he is also generally an opener and has the most opportunity to land big scores.

“In the ideal world, we want to see Aaron Finch make runs and not have to talk about it,” Waugh said. “But we’ve been talking about this for the past 15 months.

“Now, he’s not the player he was, there’s no doubt about that, and I think the stats do back that up. His strike rate in all forms of T20 cricket — IPL, Big Bash and T20 Internationals — has dropped 20 points over the past two years, from 145 to about 125.

“His average has dropped from about 35 to the high 20s and it’s probably the way he’s batting, he’s just not dominating like he used to. I think he’s a little uncomfortable against raw pace and wrist spin, so he really needs to finish this series really strongly.

“I’d have him opening again, I don’t know what he didn’t open the other night when he needs runs moving forward. I’m not saying he won’t be there for the World Cup but it’d be great to see him get into some sort of form.”

Finch has just once 50 in his last 16 T20 innings and in that time, has averaged just 22 with a strike rate of 114.

Asked about whether Finch needs to open the batting to rediscover his form, Waugh said it’s intriguing as player of the last T20 World Cup David Warner is already locked in for one opening spot.

“There are probably three or four others who could do the job — McDermott, Josh Philippe, Marcus Stoinis, Josh Inglis — so there’s lot of choice for the opening spot, and that’s why Aaron Finch can’t waste that spot,” Waugh said. “I don’t see him at five, I see him opening or not in the team at all.”

Waugh said that Finch couldn’t play No. 3 either as Marsh will return to the spot he dominated from during the most recent World Cup.

However, Shane Warne however came to Finch’s defence.

“For me, I don’t think he (Finch) would be happy with how he’s hitting the ball,” Warne said. “But he’s captain of the side. I think he’d love the opportunity to defend the title here in Australia and I think he’ll be there. I think he will find enough form.”

He added he backed Finch to score big at the MCG.

Millions of dollars had already been spent and one of the hottest bidding wars of the event was taking off as Sri Lankan Wanindu Hasaranga’s price creeped to 10.75 crore ($A2m).

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As the teams were discussing their next bids as the money crept higher and higher, a commotion happened off camera as Edmeades collapsed, with the camera seeing him sprawled on the ground as the podium appeared to fall over.

The coverage cut as the IPL auction went to a pause.

The cricket world, which was keeping an eye on the mouthwater money being handed out, was left stunned by the horrifying scenes.

Reports quickly emerged that he was alright after the fall.

While it was a heavy fall, he was reportedly just dizzy, however, he has been taken to hospital.

Aussie’s shock snub, skipper’s $2m pay cut

It’s been an Aussie firesale in the IPL auction as Pat Cummins and David Warner went for half price while Steve Smith went unsold.

Smith, who’s T20 abilities have been under question in recent years, has scored 2285 runs at an average of 34.51 and a strike rate of 128.09 but it wasn’t enough for any takers as the world’s fourth ranked Test batsman stayed on the table.

On the ICC rankings, Smith is ranked 95 in the world, a spot below Nepal’s Gyanendra Malla, but is the sixth ranked Australian batter behind Aaron Finch (6th), Mitchell Marsh (13th), Glenn Maxwell (26th), David Warner (31st) and Matthew Wade (70th).

However, there was still plenty of shock.

Cummins will take a nearly $2 million pay cut for the next Indian Premier League, selling for 7.25 crore or around $1.35m in Australian dollars.

While that’s not a bad pay cheque for the best part of two months work between April 2 and June 3, it’s a large haircut for the Aussie quick, who stunned the world in the 2020 IPL when he sold for a massive 15.5 crore or $A3.2 million.

Cummins will return to his club of the Kolkata Knight Riders and will be joined by Indian star Shreyas Iyer, who earned a 12.25 crore ($A2.29m) bid.

But with each team bringing

Despite the paycut, Cummins was quick to respond.

“Absolutely pumped to be back with Kolkata,” Cummins said via a video message.

“Thanks to Venki, Baz, SR, KJ, the whole team, just absolutrely pumped. Season can’t come around quick enough. Thanks for making me part of the Galaxy of Knights for the upcoming season. Can’t wait.”

David Warner, who was another marquee player, also took a pay cut, having had a $2.3m deal with the Sunrisers Hyderabad before he was unceremoniously dropped during the last IPL.

Having been deemed a marquee player for the IPL after being named player of the tournament at last year’s T20 World Cup, Warner still copped a bit of a pay cut for the next IPL.

Indian legend Harbhajan Singh said it was a “great pick at almost peanut price for a great player. Big Match Winner”.

Cummins and Warner were part of the first 10 players to go under the hammer as marquee players.

Other players including India’s Shikhar Dhawan (to Punjab Kings for $A1.53m), Mohammad Shami (Gujarat Titans, $A1.34m), Ravichandran Ashwin (Rajasthan Royals, $A927k) and Iyer, South Africa’s Faf du Plessis (Royal Challengers Bangalore, $A1.3), Kagiso Rabada (Punjab Kings, $A1.71m) and Quinton de Kock (Lucknow Super Giants, $1.25m), and New Zealand’s Trent Boult (Rajasthan Royals, $A1.48m)

The IPL mega auction comes as $100 million is on the table as the IPL expands from eight teams to 10 teams

Glenn Maxwell (Royal Challengers Bangalore) and Marcus Stoinis (Lucknow Supergiants) are the only two players who started the day on a team with 47 more Aussies to be considered.

New franchises the Lucknow Super Giants and Ahmedabad Gujarat Titans joined established franchises Chennai Super Kings, Delhi Capitals, Kolkata Knight Riders, Mumbai Indians, Punjab Kings, Rajasthan Royals, Royal Challengers Bangalore and Sunrisers Hyderabad.

590 players from around the world will be considered for the auction including 370 Indian players and 220 from overseas.

Aussies in the auction

Pat Cummins – 7.25 crore ($1.34m) — Kolkata Knight Riders

David Warner – 6.25 crore ($1.15m) — Delhi Capitals

Unsold

Steve Smith

Still to be sold

200 lakh (approx. A$375,000) – Mitch Marsh, Matthew Wade, Josh Hazlewood, Adam Zampa, Nathan Coulter-Nile, Ashton Agar

150 lakh (approx. A$280,000) – Aaron Finch, Chris Lynn, Usman Khawaja, Kane Richardson

100 lakh (approx. A$186,000) – Marnus Labuschagne, Daniel Sams, Andrew Tye, Moises Henriques, Riley Meredith, James Faulkner, D’Arcy Short, Josh Philippe

75 lakh (approx. A$140,000) – Nathan Ellis, Jason Behrendorff, Sean Abbott, Billy Stanlake, Ben Cutting

50 lakh (approx. A$93,000) – Ben McDermott, Kurtis Patterson, Wes Agar, Jack Wildermuth, Joel Paris, Hilton Cartwright

40 lakh (approx. A$75,000) – Tim David, Chris Green

30 lakh (approx. A$57,000) – Ben Dwarshuis, Matt Kelly

20 lakh (approx. A$38,000) – Hayden Kerr, Tanveer Sangha, Alex Ross, Jake Weatherald, Nathan McAndrew, Tom Rogers, Liam Guthrie, Liam Hatcher, Jason Sangha, Matt Short, Aidan Cahill

Cairns was only last week discharged from hospital almost five months after suffering a life-threatening heart attack and paralysis in August last year.

And now the former cricketer has been told he has bowel cancer, receiving the diagnosis during a routine check up.

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“I was told yesterday I have bowel cancer … big shock and not what I was expecting,” Cairns posted on social media.

“So, as I prepare for another round of conversations with surgeons and specialists, I keep remembering how lucky I am to be here in the first place … and how blessed I am to have all that I do in my life.

“Wasn’t all bad this week either, managed to get in some kids sport and celebrate Noah’s birthday at home.

“Another fight ahead but here’s hoping this one is a swift upper cut and over in the first round.”

Cairns’ heart attack last year resulted in an aortic dissection, or a tear in the inner layer of the body’s main artery and the 51-year-old had to undergo emergency surgery as a result.

However, during the lifesaving operation, Cairns suffered a stroke in his spine, resulting in paralysis in both his legs.

Cairns had been recovering at a special rehabilitation facility at the University of Canberra in Australia and sharing his recovery journey via his social media channels. And on Friday night Cairns revealed that he finally got to go home.

“A bittersweet farewell. After 141 days as an inpatient at UniCanberra Hospital, I am finally heading home for good,” Cairns wrote.

“Thank you again to the incredible staff. The next phase starts Monday as an outpatient at Brindabella. I look forward to working with the team.”

This story first appeared in the New Zealand Herald and was repurposed with permission.

CA’s board met for eight hours in Melbourne but were still unable to make a call whether or not to renew Langer’s contract, which expires following Australia’s historic tour of Pakistan in March.

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CEO Nick Hockley made a very brief and noncommittal statement regarding the matter after the meeting concluded on Friday evening.

“CA can confirm that the CA board met today and part of that meeting involved significant discussions about men’s head coach Justin Langer’s contract,” Hockley said.

“We will now enter into confidential discussions with Justin and the outcome will be announced as soon as possible.”

Earlier on Friday, Australian Test captain Pat Cummins once again refused to endorse Langer during a grilling on live TV.

When asked by Sunrise host David Koch if he would like Langer to stay on as coach, Cummins replied: “In this case, it isn’t my call, so I’m going to leave the speculation to one side. He has done fantastic.”

Cummins has refused to publicly endorse Langer as the Aussie legend waits to see whether Cricket Australia will extend his contract.

The 51-year-old faced a player mutiny in mid-2021 as dressing room leaks revealed unhappiness over his mood swings and intense management style.

Despite leading Australia to a recent T20 World Cup win and 4-0 Ashes sweep during Cummins’ first Test series as captain, there is speculation Langer will be ousted.

On Saturday, Starc was named the 2022 recipient of the coveted Allan Border Medal, awarded to Australia’s best men’s cricketer over the previous 12 months.

The left-arm quick was a more than deserving recipient – unlike several of his multi-format teammates, he opted to take part in white-ball winter tours to the West Indies and Bangladesh last year.

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Starc was Australia’s highest wicket-taker in July’s ODI series against the West Indies, snaring 11 scalps at 10.63. His performance in the Caribbean ultimately proved crucial in deciding the Allan Border Medal, bettering short-format powerhouse Mitchell Marsh by just one vote on the final tally.

After helping Australia claim its maiden T20 World Cup title in November, Starc returned home with no red-ball match practice under his belt ahead of a home Ashes series.

Meanwhile, West Australian seamer Jhye Richardson was tearing batting attacks apart in the Sheffield Shield, taking 23 wickets in four matches at 13.43.

Warne, who has been Starc’s fiercest critic for several years, posted a series of tweets calling for the 31-year-old to be axed from the Test side ahead of the Ashes opener in Brisbane.

“(Starc) needs to find a bit of rhythm and some form,” he said.

“He had a really poor World Cup. He’s just not bowling well enough.

“It’s too important at the Gabba. I’m all for Jhye Richardson (replacing Starc in the team).”

It didn’t take long for Starc to prove his doubters wrong.

In a moment that has since cemented its place in Ashes folklore, Starc’s first delivery of the series bowled England opener Rory Burns around his legs, hooping the Kookaburra back into the pegs.

When asked about the delivery on Saturday, Starc responded: “You‘re running in just trying to hit the stumps, I guess. It was a straight half-volley on leg stump, I think someone said.”

That someone was Warne.

While calling the moment on Fox Cricket, the King of Spin bold claimed: “I don’t think there’s any swing is there? There’s no swing!”

However, Fox Cricket’s ball-tracking technology immediately proved Warne wrong.

Starc was the only paceman to feature in all five Ashes Tests, finishing the series with 19 wickets at 25.36 to help Australia secure a comprehensive 4-0 series victory.

The New South Welshman also averaged 27.55 with the bat across all formats in the 2021 calendar year.

Speaking to reporters on Saturday, Starc made it abundantly clear he has no interest in what Warne thinks about his bowling: “It doesn’t interest me at all. He’s entitled to his opinion.

“I’m just going to go about my cricket the way I’d like to, and I’ve got my family support networks and I get to play cricket with some of my best mates, so I’m pretty comfortable with where I’m at.”

Starc’s father battled cancer throughout the 2020/21 summer, and unfortunately succumbed to the illness weeks after the Border-Gavaskar Trophy concluded.

“The last two years, as life is at the moment, there’s a lot of ups and downs,” Starc reflected on Saturday.

“You find ways to adapt and what not, but it’s a reflection of the support base I have had throughout those two years as well.

“There’s certainly been times when I haven’t played my best cricket or certainly times over those two years where I didn’t want to play any cricket.

“I’m very thankful for my support networks and in particular (my wife) Alyssa, to play cricket at the highest level (and) be there to support me as well, I can’t thank her enough for that.”

Starc was also crowned Men’s ODI Player of the Year – surprisingly, for the first time in his career. His wife, Australian wicketkeeper Alyssa Healy, won the corresponding women’s award.

2021/22 Australian Cricket Awards

Belinda Clark Award

Winner: Ashleigh Gardner (54 votes)

Runners-up: Beth Mooney (47), Alyssa Healy (39)

Allan Border Medal

Winner: Mitchell Starc (107 votes)

Runners-up: Mitchell Marsh (106), Travis Head (72)

Men’s Test Player of the Year

Winner: Travis Head (12 votes)

Runners-up: Scott Boland (10), Mitchell Starc (7)

Women’s ODI Player of the Year

Winner: Alyssa Healy (13 votes)

Runners-up: Rachael Haynes (10), Megan Schutt (10)

Men’s ODI Player of the Year

Winner: Mitchell Starc (15 votes)

Runners-up: Matthew Wade (6), Adam Zampa & Alex Carey (4)

Women’s T20 Player of the Year

Winner: Beth Mooney (13 votes)

Runners-up: Tahlia McGrath (10), Ashleigh Gardner (6)

Men’s T20 Player of the Year

Winner: Mitchell Marsh (53 votes)

Runners-up: Josh Hazlewood (29), Ashton Agar (26)

Women’s Domestic Player of the Year

Elyse Villani

Men’s Domestic Player of the Year

Travis Head

Betty Wilson Young Cricketer

Darcie Brown

Bradman Young Cricketer

Tim Ward

Wet weather has been forecast for much of the fourth match of this summer’s Ashes series but hopefully the clouds stay away for long enough to get a result.

After Australian batter Travis Head tested positive to Covid-19, Usman Khawaja was recalled to the Test XI for the first time in two years.

Catch every moment of The Ashes live and ad-break free during play on Kayo. New to Kayo? Try 14-days free now.

Another fifty-run stand

Marcus Harris and Marnus Labuschagne have combined for a fifty-run partnership at the SCG to push Australia’s total past 100.

Labuschagne currently averages 99.40 at the Sydney venue, while Harris is looking superb with the willow.

Former England captain Michael Atherton said on SEN: “He looks a transformed player, doesn‘t he?”

‘Careless’: England’s sloppy bowling

England’s bowlers have collectively bowled 12 wides in the first 28 overs of the SCG Test, including a couple of half-trackers that bounced over the batter’s head and past the wicketkeeper for five wide.

In comparison, Australia’s bowlers delivered seven wides during the first three Ashes Tests.

No-balls have also been a problem for England’s seamers – while the visitors have overstepped 29 times in the series thus far, Australia has only done so on six occasions.

Warner falls to arch nemesis

Stuart Broad has dismissed David Warner for the 13th time in Test cricket.

Coming from around the wicket, Broad found the left-hander’s outside edge and Zak Crawley held onto the chance at second slip.

The England seamer has now dismissed Warner in seven of the last eight Ashes Test he’s featured in.

“Stuart Broad where were you in Brisbane?” former England captain Michael Vaughan said on Fox Cricket.

“We should have seen this three weeks ago.”

Warner returns to the sheds for 30, and Marnus Labuschagne is the new man in the middle – and just to rub salt into the wounds, the rain returned a few minutes after Warner’s dismissal.

Play is scheduled to get back underway at 4.20pm AEDT.

Most times dismissing David Warner in Test cricket

13 – Stuart Broad (ENG)

10 – James Anderson (ENG)

10 – Ravichandran Ashwin (IND)

6 – Umesh Yadav (IND)

5 – Neil Wagner (NZ)

Fifty partnership up for Aussie openers

Australian openers David Warner and Marcus Harris have put together a 50-run partnership, their third together in Test cricket.

England all-rounder Ben Stokes almost created the breakthrough in 18th over, but the outside edge flew through the vacant third slip area for a boundary.

Warne calls for radical Ashes overhaul

The covers are back on for the umpteenth time as rain falls on the SCG, and lunch has been taken. The afternoon session will commence at 1.30pm AEDT, weather permitting.

The New Year’s Test has become renowned for its weather delays – for whatever reason, Sydney is peppered with rain whenever Test cricket is in town.

The 2019 Test against India and 2016 fixture against the West Indies both ended as draws because of Sydney’s weather.

“This is becoming most frustrating,” Triple M commentator Dan Ginnane said.

“We’re two hours since the Test was supposed to start and we’ve had 12.3 overs.”

Former Australian Test batter Michael Hussey said on Fox Cricket: “This is frustrating for everyone really.

“For the bowlers they want to get into a rhythm, the batsmen want to spend some time in the middle, the ground staff having to run on and off, and, probably most of all, the crowd who just want to come and watch some good cricket.”

But at lunch, Fox Cricket commentator Mark Howard revealed how wet it is in Sydney.

“Since 2014-15, this is the number of sessions lost due to weather in Australia. The Gabba, 3.5 sessions. Adelaide Oval, 4.5 sessions. The MCG, 6.5 sessions. The SCG…16.5 sessions. 10 sessions more than anyone else in the country, Kerry!”

Kerry O’Keeffe replied: “That’s why we’re called Sin City, because you can get lost here.”

Howard: “And end up doing hours of fill where your life just disappears from you.”

Former England captain Michael Vaughan said: “You may as well play this Test match in Derby.”

But Howard added that the SCG had lost more in the last eight years than Manchester has.

Cricket statistician Ric Finlay also revealed Sydney had a complete day washed out every 4.36 Tests.

Sydney has traditionally hosted the New Year’s Test for decades, but Australian cricket great Shane Warne believes it’s time for a change, calling for the NSW capital to host the series opener in the future.

“Imagine England arriving in Australia, beautiful Sydney coming here, have the 10 days lead up and make Sydney the first Test,” Warne said.

“It’s better weather then than it is in the first week of January. It just seems to always rain in the Test match. It’s such a beautiful venue, such a beautiful city that imagine if the tourists, and any opposition team, came here to Sydney and had 10 days on the harbour and loosening up, getting ready and then play the first Test in Sydney rather than the fourth Test always in the New Year, maybe it’s time for a change.”

Openers survive first 10 overs

The England seamers are finding plenty of swing and movement off the SCG deck, but Australian openers David Warner and Marcus Harris have weathered the storm.

England’s bowlers have copped criticism throughout the series for bowling too short with the new ball, and during the opening eight overs on Wednesday, only four deliveries would have struck the stumps.

“This is already a bit of deja vu,” former England captain Michael Vaughan said on Fox Cricket.

“It’s too consistently short of a good length.

“It really is the kind of morning you do just have to offer the half volley and if you (concede) 20 runs in the session more than you would have if you bowled short of that, then fine.

“But you might create more chances. You can play the negative or defensive game later on in the day.”

The hosts are 0/27 after 10 overs, with Warner unbeaten on 14 and Harris at the other end on 9.

Rain returns

Bad news – it’s raining in Sydney. The players have rushed off, and the covers are on.

After a frustrating 30-minute delay, play got back underway at 12pm AEDT.

‘What a legend’: Gadigal Elder steals the show

Uncle Allen Madden stole the show on day one of the New Year’s Test in Sydney with “the best Welcome to Country ever”, packed with dad jokes and one-liners.

The Gadigal Elder performed the Welcome to Country at the SCG ahead of the fourth Ashes Test between Australia and England, and quickly won over the spectators.

Madden started his speech by stating: “For my first song …”

It prompted a laugh and round of applause from the Sydney crowd – Australian spinner Nathan Lyon was particularly amused.

Madden later said there were only three things surer than this being Aboriginal land: “Coming, taxation, and going.”

He finished with his best joke of the day: “There’s an old Aboriginal saying out there, and I think it’s very appropriate for you mob here today. They say where there’s a will, there’s relatives.”

The SCG crowd and Australian cricket team were left in hysterics.

Sports reporter Mark Gottlieb tweeted: “This guy is awesome. Love it. Just riffing a 5 minute stand up in the middle of a welcome to country. What a legend.”

Former Australian hockey player Georgie Parker posted: “This is the best welcome to country I’ve ever heard. I love Him.”

Aussies win the toss

Pat Cummins has won the toss and Australia will bat first at the SCG.

Playing in his 169th Test, England seamer James Anderson becomes the second most capped cricketer in history, sitting behind only Indian legend Sachin Tendulkar.

Australia XI: David Warner, Marcus Harris, Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith, Usman Khawaja, Cameron Green, Alex Carey (wk), Pat Cummins (c), Mitch Starc, Scott Boland, Nathan Lyon

England XI: Haseeb Hameed, Zak Crawley, Dawid Malan, Joe Root (c), Ben Stokes, Jonathan Bairstow, Jos Buttler (wk), Mark Wood, Stuart Broad, Jack Leach, James Anderson

Cricket boss apologies over England’s Ashes shocker

England managing director Ashley Giles has said he “absolutely felt” the responsibility of an Ashes series loss in Australia but insisted a mass clear-out of the senior leadership would merely mask underlying problems.

With England already 3-0 down in the five-match series heading into the fourth Test, there has been speculation about the future of both captain Joe Root and head coach Chris Silverwood.

Giles’ role has also been questioned given it was the former England left-arm spinner who was behind the sacking of national selector Ed Smith and giving Silverwood sole authority for picking the team.

England are now in danger of suffering their third 5-0 series whitewash in Australia of the 21st century, having only previously lost an away Ashes campaign by that scoreline back in 1920/21.

“Being here now in this position, I absolutely feel the responsibility of losing this Ashes series,” Giles told BBC Radio’s Test Match Special and travelling English media at the Sydney Cricket Ground.

“Absolutely, we all do, and we can only apologise,” the 48-year-old added. “I know there will be a lot of emotion, a lot of anger about how we’ve lost it.”

Tom Harrison, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) chief executive, was already in the firing line regarding the governing body’s response to a racism scandal sparked by former spinner Azeem Rafiq’s revelations regarding his treatment at Yorkshire.

But Giles said changes at the top of the ECB would fail to solve the problems that saw 50-over world champions England lose the ongoing series in just 12 days’ play when they collapsed to a meagre 68 all out in Melbourne last week.

“You can change me, change the head coach, change the captain, but we’re only setting up future leaders for failure,” Giles insisted amid concerns about the quality of English first-class cricket.

“Four out of 15 (Test wins in 2021) is not good,” he added of a year that also saw England beaten 3-1 in India.

“In the 90s that was accepted as normal for England leaderships and they got away with it. We set our standards much higher than that.”

Giles said England’s struggles in Australia were simply a reflection of the players at their disposal, for all they aspire to be cricket’s number one Test team.

“At the moment do we think we are a better side than we are? We are sort of at our level. Fourth in the world is probably where we are,” he said.

“We’ve beaten the sides below us but, in these conditions, we’re not beating the sides above us.

“What’s important is that we don’t try to paper over the cracks. We could easily go to West Indies (in March) and win, then win this (English) summer.

“We could do ‘everything’s alright, rah, rah, rah’ but I think we still need to be truly focused on finding a way we can compete in Australia and in India.”

But former England Test batter Nick Compton was not impressed with Giles’ remarks, tweeting: “Come on Ash! Trying to put more spin on this s***show than you ever did on the ball!”

AFP