Logo of Phnom Penh Post newspaper Phnom Penh Post - Shane Warne’s body prepared for autopsy before repatriation

Shane Warne’s body prepared for autopsy before repatriation

Content image - Phnom Penh Post
Australian cricketer Shane Warne delivers a ball during the fourth day of the second Test match against Bangladesh on April 19, 2006. AFP

Shane Warne’s body prepared for autopsy before repatriation

Thai authorities were preparing on Sunday to conduct an autopsy on the body of Australian cricket superstar Shane Warne, who died of a suspected heart attack, before flying him home where he will receive a state funeral.

Police said there was no foul play suspected in the 52-year-old’s death after he was found unresponsive in a luxury villa on Thai holiday island Koh Samui late Friday.

The “King” of spin’s unexpected passing sparked a global outpouring of grief from prime ministers, rock stars and fellow players, an acknowledgement that the Melbourne native transcended his sport.

On Sunday, Warne’s three children reacted to his death, with friend and manager James Erskine saying they were “in complete shock”.

“Jackson [Warne’s eldest son] just said ‘We expect him to walk in the door. This is like a bad dream’,” Erskine told Australia’s Channel Nine.

The player – one of the greatest Test cricketers of all time – was found unresponsive in a Samujana resort villa on Friday after failing to meet friends.

Warne was taken to the Thai International Hospital Samui at about 6pm (1100 GMT), but his management said despite medical efforts “he could not be revived”.

Officers on the holiday island said Saturday “no foul play was suspected” following an initial investigation and confirmed Warne’s body would be transported to Surat Thani for an autopsy.

Early Sunday AFP reporters saw a body placed in an ambulance from the morgue where Warne’s body had been kept overnight.

Relatives had “already coordinated with the Australian Embassy so that right after the autopsy’s finished, they will take his body back to Australia,” said local police chief Yutthana Sirisombat.

Speaking outside Koh Samui’s police station Andrew Neophitou, a close friend of Warne, said: “We really just want to get Shane home, that’s all it is.”

Greatest characters

Prime Minister Scott Morrison led tributes to one of the country’s “greatest characters” on Saturday and announced Warne would receive a full state funeral.

Over the weekend fans gathered at the Melbourne Cricket Ground to lay flowers and some unusual offerings – among them cigarettes, beer and meat pies – to remember the famously hard-charging athlete.

Credited with reviving the art of leg-spin, Warne was part of a dominant Australian Test team in the 1990s and 2000s and helped his country win the 1999 limited-overs World Cup.

His tally of 708 Test wickets has been surpassed only by fellow spinner Muttiah Muralitharan.

Bursting onto the scene as a brash young player with a shock of blond hair, Warne became almost as well known for his colourful life away from cricket as he was for his exploits on the field.

The first bowler to take 700 Test wickets with an assortment of leg-breaks, googlies, flippers and his own “zooters”, Warne retired from Australia duty in 2007 following a 5-0 series win at home to arch-rivals England.

Warne played 145 Tests in total over a 15-year career, taking 708 wickets, and was also a useful lower-order batsman, with a highest Test score of 99.

He was a “hero” to the current generation of cricketers, said Australian captain Pat Cummins.

“The loss that we are all trying to wrap our heads around is huge,” he said.

Beloved Lionheart

Following his international retirement, Warne continued to star on the Twenty20 franchise circuit, appearing for Rajasthan Royals in the Indian Premier League and his hometown Melbourne Stars in Australia’s Big Bash League.

He later became a highly regarded television commentator and pundit, renowned for his forthright opinions, and was involved with coaching, working individually with current-day leg-spinners.

Warne was divorced from wife Simone Callahan, with whom he had three children.

His former fiancee, actress Elizabeth Hurley, said on Instagram the “sun has gone behind a cloud forever”, adding: “RIP my beloved Lionheart.”

Cricketers mourned his passing, with India batting great Sachin Tendulkar tweeting of his ex-rival: “Shocked, stunned & miserable . . . Will miss you Warnie. There was never a dull moment with you around.”

Pakistan leader and ex-player Imran Khan paid his respects to “a bowling genius”, while former Australia teammate Adam Gilchrist said he was “numb”.

Tributes came in beyond the sporting world from Rolling Stones frontman Mick Jagger, singer Ed Sheeran, to actors Russell Crowe and Hugh Jackman.

MOST VIEWED

  • 12th Cambodia int’l film festival to see return of Hollywood star

    Phnom Penh is set to come alive with the magic of cinema as the highly anticipated 12th Cambodia International Film Festival (CIFF) takes centre stage. Boasting an impressive line-up of 188 films from 23 countries, including captivating shorts, feature films, documentaries and animation, the festival promises an

  • Bareknuckle champion wants Kun Khmer fighter

    Dave Leduc, who is the current openweight Lethwei boxing champion in Myanmar, has announced that he will travel to Cambodia this year to challenge SEA Games gold medallist Prum Samnang any time that is convenient, after their planned match later this month in Slovakia was

  • Struggling Battambang artist dreams of staging full-scale gallery exhibition

    Leav Kimchhoth, a 55-year-old artist from Battambang province, is a familiar face to locals and tourists alike on the streets of the riverside in Phnom Penh. The one-armed painter and illustrator often hawks his work near the night market on weekends and public holidays. He

  • Fresh Covid warnings as Thai hospital fills

    A senior health official reminds the public to remain vigilant, as neighbouring countries experience an increase in Covid-19 cases, with the latest surge appearing to be a result of the Omicron XBB.1.5 sub-variant. Or Vandine, secretary of state and spokeswoman for the Ministry of Health,

  • Five-year-old Hanuman dances his way into hearts of Cambodia

    A young talent from a new-established settlement has emerged, captivating the online world with his mesmerising performances of the traditional Cambodian monkey dance. Roeun Kakada is a five-year-old prodigy who has taken the social media sphere by storm with his exceptional dance skills and dedication

  • New Law on Taxation comes into effect

    Cambodia has enacted the eagerly-awaited new Law on Taxation, which aims to improve the national tax regime’s compliance with present and future international standards and economic conditions; encourage accountability, effectiveness and transparency in the collection process; and promote investment in the Kingdom. King Norodom