Australian Test and ODI captain Pat Cummins paid a poetic tribute to the late great Shane Warne on the eve of his birthday. In a video published by cricket.com.au, the right-arm speedster narrated a long poem, describing Warne's career, character, and what he meant he meant to the cricketing fraternity.
It emerged on March 4th that the 145-Test veteran had passed away in Thailand after suffering a cardiac arrest. It inevitably left the cricketing world stunned as tributes came in from far and wide. A state memorial service took place for the spin wizard at the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) on March 30 and it was reportedly witnessed by over 1 million Australians.
Meanwhile, Cummins was all praise for Warne's bowling style, his ability to beat the batters with an array of skills, and suggested how he rued not having the Victorian as Australia's full-time captain.
"For where to start with Shane Keith Warne, the other worldly gift. We could talk about the wicked spin, the endless flight, the drift. We could talk about the wickets, the bluster, the guile. We could talk about the character, the look, the hair, the smile. We could talk about the charisma. We could talk about the drama, the travail, and the strife. We could talk about the slider, the legbreak, and the flipper. We could contemplate a world in which he was a full-time Aussie skipper."
"The wickets we can tally up but the emotions we can't measure up" - Pat Cummins
Cummins also described how the cricketing world has been left depleted by Warne's absence, but urged fans to celebrate the impact he left with some stunning performances in his 15 years of international cricket.
"The wickets we can tally up but the emotions we can't measure up, the feelings, the feelings he stirred in us, the simple sense of pleasure. A chubby blonde in cricket whites, he took up the ball in 12 and in 15 years, he cast his spell on the cricket world. He was just a bloke, extraordinary, fallible, and flawed. It meant he felt like one of us, made him all the more adored, which is why he left us grappling, left the cricket world defeated."
"From Launceston to the Long Room, we've all been left depleted. But flip that thought and think instead how enriched we are by Warne. Let's salute a pure entertainer and to the greatest bowler ever born."
