Shane Warne - Farewell to England

Shane Warne's farewell to England has not rivalled the undying affection and undefeated results created by Don Bradman, Australia's other Cricketer of the Century. But in terms of last waves - his final wrist flick occurs today - it has been wildly successful and will be fondly recalled even if it doesn't end in tears at The Oval.

Both men enjoyed four tours of sweeping through opponents, dishing out nightmares and leaving lasting impressions of their genius and destruction. When Bradman suffered appendicitis on the '34 tour King George demanded updates: "I want to know everything." It's unlikely Queen Elizabeth felt the same about Warne during his finger and shoulder operations - she was missing at Lord's this year - but she can text him for tea when he's playing for Hampshire.

While Warne appears in his final Test in England today, he is not boarding an ocean liner and sailing for the Atlantic horizon. He still calls the Australian team home - after this series they will keep him as long as his right arm raises - but he intends to hang his cap at the Rose Bowl for a few more years.

England spectators seem to loathe and deeply admire him. It's a strange mix of affection through antagonism and during the summer he has had more chants directed at him than any Premier League football hate figure. Jason Gillespie has been asked from the stands for months the whereabouts of his gypsy caravan, but Warne has suffered much worse each day and remained at his best behaved. He has raised the ball to loud cheers for his two five-wicket hauls, doffed his wide-brimmed hat, smirked when the boos arrived and accepted or deflected the attention like the best entertainers. It is a natural and endearing talent.

Warne's Ashes-tour history began with the Ball of the Century and has ended with his most remarkable trip, which overtook '93 as his most successful series when he dismissed Andrew Strauss in the second innings. The first three were mostly jaunts of hypnotising success; this one has been awful for Australia, with Warne administering CPR in every Test. He has dragged them to each ground, bent them into position like a shop mannequin and hoped for some selling support.

Entering the final day he had 35 wickets, giving him a total of 124 in England, the most by any touring bowler. At 35, he is the oldest player in the series and grew up in eras when the Ashes prize regularly went back and forth across the equator. In watching the battles he knew what it meant to lift for the games oldest contests.

Warne arrived in 1993 with hair dyed gold under a cap of baggy green, and was ready to fight for a prize that had been in Australia's possession for only four years. Unlike many of his team-mates, he remembered defeats by England and when given the opportunity demonstrated his best playing qualities on an Australian player's most treasured journey.

Bradman did it over 18 years; Warne has managed it through 12. Neither man's exploits will be forgotten in books or memories. As Bradman's final tour neared its end in 1948, The People newspaper ran a "Bradman Shilling Fund", encouraging donations as a mark of respect, thanks and good wishes. Warne's goodbye has not been as polite and the chances of England fans throwing coins into a hat may depend on his longevity and prospects of a benefit year at Hampshire.

However, Warne has the lineage of cricket royalty and deserves the bows and bouquets. "A Bradman happens once, and it had been heady champagne while it lasted," wrote Irving Rosewater in Sir Donald Bradman. A Warne replica is just as unlikely.

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4 for 51 at Old Trafford, first Test, 1993
A star is Warne when he opens with the Gatting ball and turns his life forever. The wicket was only his 32nd in Tests, but he earned countless others through the fear of repeat performances. Seven more victims followed in a 179-run victory that began a dozen years of dominance.

6 for 48 at Old Trafford, third Test, 1997
Warne overtook Richie Benaud's 248 Test wickets to become Australia's most prolific legspinner in a match Australia desperately needed to win. A brave first-day century by Steve Waugh held Australia together for 235 as they pushed to recover from a 1-0 deficit, and Warne clicked his fingers to knock them over for 162. Australia won the match and the Ashes.

6 for 33 at Trent Bridge, third Test, 2001
The Warne supremacy continues. After the first innings the game is even before Warne mesmerises England over 18 overs, ending their chances of a competitive total by shutting down Atherton, Trescothick, Stewart, Ramprakash, White and Tudor. He finishes the series with 11 wickets at The Oval, including his best figures in England of 7 for 165, and a total of 31 at 18.70.

4 for 116 and 6 for 46 at Edgbaston, second Test, 2005
The greatest bowler in the series' greatest Test. Warne took ten wickets on a losing side after assuming the main bowler's responsibility when Glenn McGrath was a last-minute injury withdrawal. The second-innings haul helped dismiss England for 182, beginning with a huge legbreak to bowl Andrew Strauss, and his 42 in the chase of 282 was as brave. Australia finished three short of an impossible victory and Warne had 599 Test wickets.