Remembering WARNIE

A few years ago MAXIM cover girl and TV presenter Laura Csortan (pictured) caught up with her good mate SHANE WARNE to talk cricket, women, hangovers and lighting his bedroom candles. As the world farewelled Australia’s greatest spin bowler this year, we paid tribute to him with this interview throwback and to remember the kind of top-shelf bloke he truly was...

- LAURA CSORTAN

OK, Shane, let’s get the cricket talk out of the way first. What is your greatest Ashes memory? Beating England 5-0 in Australia in 2006-07. My last ever series playing international cricket and to beat the old enemy in a whitewash, and pull their pants down, was a lot of fun. Individually, my favourite highlight was bowling the Mike Gatting delivery in 1993, which was a bloody long time ago now! To do that in a first Ashes tour, first ball in England in a first Ashes Test, was pretty cool.

What really happens in the Aussie change rooms after a victory? There’s been one of the best bottle opening situations by Andrew Flintoff I’ve ever seen. He had the ability to put a normal stubby, not a twist top, in his teeth and just rip it open. Everyone just cringed and he just did it all night. Strong teeth! Michael Slater had the ability to get drunk the quickest, generally a two-pot screamer ol’ Slats, and Matthew Hayden was probably the quickest to get his clothes off. He liked to do that.

And what was your forte? I was the DJ in the dressing room. I just chilled out in the corner playing tunes for the lads. Yeah, I got louder later, but only after a win. I didn’t mind the odd cigar and a glass of red after a few beers. You know, just enjoy the moment and take it all in.

Apart from red wine and beers what other drink could I shout you at a bar? Well I like hard liquor, I like vodka. I like a nice cold beer in summer but if we were going out for a few drinks together, vodka would be my drink of choice… and maybe a shot of Fireball.