The jury is still out as to whether Warnie can still rip in those Gatting-esque leggies – and to be fair, the batting friendly 20/20 format is a bowlers’ nightmare – but the BBL’s marquee headline generator earned his keep once again with a WWE worthy display that indicated his new trimmed physic is as much an effort to keep up with his movie star girlfriend as it is an indication that Warnie is conditioning himself for a bit of action inside the ring.
Sure, this is an unfounded theory that I’ve essentially made up but the champion leg spinner, part time elite poker player, budding golfer, and AFL fanatic is forever making grabs for the limelight, i.e. trumping his own Test recall, and has always been one to back himself. The celebrity boxing circuit would be perfect.
Warnie posing with Anthony Mundine hours before his fiery clash. Coincidence?
The incident stemmed from an earlier clash in the previous innings where Samuels obstructed David Hussey as he turned for a second run. After blocking out his first delivery against Warne, Samuels copped a spray that sent the Fox Sports sound tech diving for the mute button. Warne proceeded to grab Samuels and followed it up by hitting Samuels with the ball with a misguided lob to the keeper in the next over to which Samules hurled his bat down the pitch in anger. Cricket blow-ups don’t come much bigger and thanks to Fox’s continued on-field intrusion, more audible either. Great viewing.
Skeptics might argue that Warnie and Samuels were in part playing up for the cameras but the contrary conduct charges leveled against the pair says otherwise. Unfortunately for Samuels and the Renegade fans, a return bout looks unlikely with the West Indian nursing a broken eye socket after top edging a Lasith Malinga thunderbolt into his face. He copped that like a trooper so it’s unlikely a right hook from Warnie would have fazed him too much. Pick your your battles Shane.
Michael Dodge
