JIMMY ANDERSON paid an emotional tribute to Shane Warne, saying: “He was so great I thought he was invincible.”
Cricket legend Warne died on Friday after a suspected heart attack at the age of 52.
Anderson has paid tribute to Warne after his tragic passing
A minute’s silence was held for Warne and ex-wicketkeeper Rod Marsh before Australia’s men and women’s matches against Pakistan and England yesterday.
Both Aussie sides wore black armbands with some players donning an extra one to mark the passing of TWO greats.
At the women’s World Cup, leggie Alana King touched her armband as a mark of respect after Tammy Beaumont was stumped by Alyssa Healy — niece of Warne’s former Oz team-mate, wicket-keeper Ian.
Anderson faced Warne many times, including the leg-spinner’s final Test in the 2007 Ashes in Sydney.
And the 39-year-old Lancastrian, third on the all-time leading Test wicket-takers list behind second-placed Warne and Sri Lankan Muttiah Muralitharan, posted on Instagram a photo of him having a laugh with his Aussie rival.
A message alongside read: “Found this photo from a couple of years ago.
“I still can’t believe it. When someone lives their life with an air of invincibility you almost believe that they are.”
Glenn McGrath struck up a formidable bowling partnership with Warne in an all-conquering Aussie side.
And the fast bowler penned a touching message as Australia continued to mourn their cricketing legend, writing: “Just absolutely devastated.
“Warnie was larger than life. I thought nothing could ever happen to him.
“He lived more in his life than most people would live in 20. He was the ultimate competitor. He thought the game was never lost, that he could turn it around and bring us victory, which he did so many times.
“I think he lived his life the same way. There seemed to be never a dull moment.
“He was a great mate and a loving father. Rest In Peace my good mate, there’ll never again be anyone like you.”
Anderson posted a picture of of himself and Warne sharing a laugh
Former Australia skipper Ricky Ponting, who captained Warne from 2004 to 2007, called him ‘The greatest bowler I ever played with or against’.
Ponting tweeted: “We were team-mates for more than a decade, riding all the highs and lows together.
“He was someone you could always count on and always put his mates first.”
Two more ex-Aussie stars Allan Border and David Boon fought back tears as they tried to come to terms with Warne’s shock death in Thailand, just hours after Marsh died.
Former skipper Border said: “It’s going to be hard getting through the next couple of days finally realising I’m not going to see Shane again.”
Boon added: “He made cricket enjoyable for all of us — he had a great sense of humour, so confident on the ground but off the ground so vulnerable as well.
“It is especially a shock when you only have recently seen someone and he was in good spirits and enjoying life.
“I thought he looked all right but he said ‘I have got to lose a couple of kilos again’. It’s a shock when you know that is not going to be able to happen.”
