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| Gatting salutes spin wizard Warne | |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Former England captain Mike Gatting believes cricket may never witness another spinner like Shane Warne again. | |
| Gatting, on the wrong end of Warne's 'ball of the century' leg-break at Old Trafford in 1993, said: "I am still asked about it regularly. | |
| "I suppose I can say that I was there at the moment he first indicated his potential to the wider world. | |
| "Like Ian Botham, he has worked hard and he has played hard. We may not see his like again." | |
| Report: Warne confirms retirement after Ashes Archive: Warne's wonder ball to Gatting | |
| Warne, currently with 699 Test wickets, will quit Test cricket after the fifth Ashes match in Sydney. | |
| Gatting added: "Thanks to him, there are many more leg-spinners in the game. | |
| "People talk about how much he has done for Australia, but he has done an awful lot for the sport as a whole." | |
| Commentator and former Australia captain Richie Benaud said Warne's departure would leave a void. | |
| "People keep telling me there are plenty of leggies down the road, but they're not experienced enough. | "People keep telling me there are plenty of leggies down the road, but they're not experienced enough. |
| "They haven't been given the opportunities - I think there's going to be a big gap," he said. | "They haven't been given the opportunities - I think there's going to be a big gap," he said. |
| New Zealand great Sir Richard Hadlee said the sport would not be the same after Warne's departure. | New Zealand great Sir Richard Hadlee said the sport would not be the same after Warne's departure. |
| "A lot of batsmen in world cricket will be delighted to learn he's leaving the game, but I think the game will be poorer without him." | "A lot of batsmen in world cricket will be delighted to learn he's leaving the game, but I think the game will be poorer without him." |
| "He has been a match-winner, flamboyant and just incredible to watch." | "He has been a match-winner, flamboyant and just incredible to watch." |
| Damien Fleming, a fellow World Cup winner in 1999, said: "He is one of the greatest cricketers of all time and we will never see his like again." | Damien Fleming, a fellow World Cup winner in 1999, said: "He is one of the greatest cricketers of all time and we will never see his like again." |
| England's Paul Collingwood, who was dismissed by Warne on his Ashes debut in 2005, said: "In cricketing terms he is the ultimate legend. He's probably the best bowler there has ever been on this planet. | England's Paul Collingwood, who was dismissed by Warne on his Ashes debut in 2005, said: "In cricketing terms he is the ultimate legend. He's probably the best bowler there has ever been on this planet. |
| Mark Taylor, Australia captain from 1994-99, said the spin wizard's larger-than-life character is key to his success. | Mark Taylor, Australia captain from 1994-99, said the spin wizard's larger-than-life character is key to his success. |
| "Not only is he a great bowler but he's also a great thinker," he said. "He got a lot of people out with wonderful deliveries but also out-thought a lot." | "Not only is he a great bowler but he's also a great thinker," he said. "He got a lot of people out with wonderful deliveries but also out-thought a lot." |
| Former selector Allan Border, who skippered Warne when he first emerged in dramatic fashion during the Ashes tour of England in 1993, thought the match-winner could still play on for several seasons. | Former selector Allan Border, who skippered Warne when he first emerged in dramatic fashion during the Ashes tour of England in 1993, thought the match-winner could still play on for several seasons. |
| "It's just caught everyone by surprise," Border said. "He's in superb touch, he's bowling well, physically he's very well. | "It's just caught everyone by surprise," Border said. "He's in superb touch, he's bowling well, physically he's very well. |
| "I just got the inkling that he was even considering one more tilt at England in England and that would see him out." | "I just got the inkling that he was even considering one more tilt at England in England and that would see him out." |
| Border was also captain when Warne made his Test debut against India at Sydney in January 1992 and recalled: "There was something special about him, right from the word go." | Border was also captain when Warne made his Test debut against India at Sydney in January 1992 and recalled: "There was something special about him, right from the word go." |
| Former Aussie paceman Geoff Lawson was also surprised by the decision and felt Warne could have broken even more records. | Former Aussie paceman Geoff Lawson was also surprised by the decision and felt Warne could have broken even more records. |
| "I thought he still had a couple of years left in him and I thought he was good for a thousand Test wickets," Lawson said. | "I thought he still had a couple of years left in him and I thought he was good for a thousand Test wickets," Lawson said. |
| "Without Shane Warne, Australia would not be 3-0 up in the [current] series. | "Without Shane Warne, Australia would not be 3-0 up in the [current] series. |
| "They might have won one but they wouldn't have won in Adelaide or Perth without him and if he's going to go out then I suppose it's best to go out on a high." | "They might have won one but they wouldn't have won in Adelaide or Perth without him and if he's going to go out then I suppose it's best to go out on a high." |
| Australia selector Merv Hughes, another former team-mate of Warne, joined the tributes. | Australia selector Merv Hughes, another former team-mate of Warne, joined the tributes. |
| "Whatever you say about Shane Warne it isn't enough," Hughes said. | "Whatever you say about Shane Warne it isn't enough," Hughes said. |
| "There are memories all through his career, most people go through a purple patch and Shane Warne has had a purple patch for 15 of 16 years." | "There are memories all through his career, most people go through a purple patch and Shane Warne has had a purple patch for 15 of 16 years." |