The End Of An Era, Thank The Lord Cricket fans around the world have given a small cheer and a mighty sigh of relief as spin king Shane Warne has announced his retirement. Never since the dual retirement of Curtley Ambrose and Courtney Walsh have fans around the world felt such gratitude towards players of another nation. Warne will rightly be hailed as the bowler of his generation (there will always be doubts raised over Muri's bowling action even if he does eventually take more wickets than Warne), he has helped to revitalise the international game and has helped to keep Australia at the top of world cricket throughout his career. The only thing really wrong with Warne's game is his appealling, which holds very little appeal for opposing players and fans. Warne appeals a lot, for just about everything, it is a shame for such a fantastic player that he constantly and blatantly appeals when he knows full well that the batsman is not out. This has become part of his mindset though and now he can't help himself. Off the pitch Warne is of course a first class muppet, from dubious backhanders for 'weather reports' through being banned for illegal diuretic use to being filmed during three in a bed sex romps, Warne never could manage his private life with the style he managed his cricket career. On the pitch though, Warne is a man that batsmen fear, not the physical fear that some might have when Ambrose came thundering in from the far end, but Warne could bewitch and bedazzle batsman all over the world, he has consistently been able to make the ball do things that no other spinner can achieve. And he can bat a bit too, the bugger. Farewell then Shane Warne, it was a gentlemen's game before we let the Ozzies in..... For further gentle mockery of a world great, see what pops up in this Google picture search for Shane Warne, pics 6&7 may not be quite SFW.