https://www.foxsports.com.au/cricke...s/news-story/f6344163531e0050b677b51fbcbacb1e
Jason Gillespie recalls the day Shane Warne trapped himself in one of Australian cricket’s all-time pranks
CRICKET
- December 9, 2017 1:13pm
- by STAFF WRITERS
- Source: FOX SPORTS
AUSTRALIAN fast bowling great Jason Gillespie has lifted the lid on a long-running prank that took down the greatest of them all, Shane Warne.
It’s a tale that cuts to the core of the old-school traits of an Australian dressing room, Warne’s stubbornness and the cheeky teammates that kept history’s greatest legspinner grounded.
It was the summer of 2002, Australia were hosting England in an anticipated Ashes contest and had heard whispers some members of the Brisbane Lions’ premiership-winning AFL squad would join them in the dressing room after play.
Warne, a giant St Kilda fan and lover of all things AFL, was more excited than most to be in the presence of some Aussie Rules royalty.
And so, after spending a long day toiling in the field, Warne raced back to the dressing rooms.
This was unusual, Gillespie revealed on
Damien Fleming’s Bowlology Report in a recent episode, because Warne would normally be among the last to leave the field.
It was, after all, his arena and he typically would soak up every moment while out in the centre.
But on this occasion, the Australian team filtered into the dressing room and were immediately drawn to Warne’s corner: Where he sat, sans playing gear, with a beer in one hand and a cigarette in the other.
He was a picture-perfect image of the old-school Aussie cricketer: “Old school. Ice pack on the knee. Dart hanging out of the gob,” notes Gillespie.
But it just wasn’t Warney — he was more of a West Coast Cooler kind of guy, Fleming chimed in.
Sure enough, it quickly made sense. The AFL players had arrived and Warne is holding court and revelling in his role as the ultimate old-school cricketer, much to the amusement of teammates who were quietly remarking that the all-time great was “not a noted beer drinker”.
But nobody dared question the King — a moniker Warne gave to himself, Gillespie insists.
No one, until Warne’s partner-in-crime and fast bowling legend Glenn McGrath arrived having completed some media duties.
“(McGrath is) one of the guys — a bit like Mark Waugh — who would say what everyone else is thinking. Straight down the line,” Gillespie explains.
“Big Pidge (McGrath) walks in, takes a glance, has a second look ... and he’s very particular Pidge ... he takes his Baggy Green off, puts it on the hook and he’s just sitting down, unlacing his boots...”
Until he can’t take it anymore.
“Warney, what is going on here?” he inquires.
“What Pidge? What?” exclaims a ‘wide-eyed’ Warne.
“What are you doing drinking a beer? Warney, I’ve played Test cricket with you for 10 years and I’ve never seen you drink a beer,” McGrath continues.
And then came the line Gillespie claims is now etched in Australian dressing room folklore.
“Pidge, I always have a beer on a bowling day.”
Stunned — and holding back laughter — Warne’s more mischievous teammates saw an instant opportunity to take the mickey.
If Warne says he likes a beer on a bowling day, then that’s exactly what he’ll get.
Along with wicketkeeper Adam Gilchrist and now Australia coach Darren Lehmann, Gillespie made a pact.
“We made a pact that one of us after each day’s play when we’re out on the field, one of us will hightail it off the ground, race in, open an ice-cold frosty beer and lovingly place it on the King’s gear, near his androtops and just let him enjoy that,” Gillespie explained.
“He’s a stubborn man. He’s a very proud man and there were a few teapots — hands on the hips — but to his credit for those first four Test matches, he wouldn’t let anyone in.
“He’s sitting down and that beer is going down like absolute razorblades. Everyone — all the players, support staff — everyone’s in on the joke.”
Warne struggled through his daily frothy through the first four Tests — but was becoming increasingly grumpy with the situation.
Up until Sydney, when he finally cracked after a particularly fruitless day in the field.
He wanted a shower and a smoke. But the last thing on his agenda was a cold beer.
“Who the hell is doing this? Who keeps leaving this bloody beer on my spot?” Warne roared as he fired accusatory stares around the dressing room.
“He was a bit upset the great man. Then he realised that everyone — to a man in the dressing room — was in on it and everyone burst out laughing,” Gillespie said.
“We won that little battle. He conceded. He’s looking around the room, searching for the culprits and then he sees three sniggering idiots in the corner — Messrs Gillespie, Gilchrist and Lehmann — and he knew.
“To this day he’s been a bit grumpy with his old mate Dizz.”
