London:
Legendary Australian spinner Shane Warne was on Friday inducted into the ICC Cricket Hall of Fame during the tea interval of the second Ashes Test between England and Australia at Lord`s here.
Warne becomes the 69th male member of the Hall of Fame and fourth inductee of 2012-13, joining Brian Lara of the West Indies, England`s Enid Bakewell and fellow Australian Glenn McGrath in being recognised by the ICC and the living members of the Hall of Fame.
Warne was inducted at Lord`s by the ICC President, Alan Isaac, along with Cricket Australia chairman Wally Edwards, England and Wales Cricket Board Chairman Giles Clarke and MCC President Mike Griffith in front of a large and appreciative crowd.
Warne, who was born in in Ferntree Gully, Victoria in 1969 represented Australia in 145 Tests between 1992 and 2007, claiming 708 wickets at an average of 25.41. He is the first Test bowler to claim 700 wickets in the purist format of the game. Warne still holds the record for the most Test runs without scoring a century, 3,154.
He also represented Australia in 194 ODIs, claiming 293 wickets at an average of 25.73.
The leg-spinner was part of the Australian side that won the ICC Cricket World Cup in 1999 at Lord`s against Pakistan alongside fellow Hall of Famers Glenn McGrath and Steve Waugh and his performance at the match saw him named Player of the Final after he concluded the game with match figures of 9-1-33-4.
Warne said of his induction, "I`m very honoured and proud to be inducted into the ICC Cricket
Hall of Fame today and I thank the voting academy very much for even considering me.
"Many of the Hall of Fame members were my heroes when I was growing up, including the likes of Ian Chappell and Dennis Lillee. I am delighted that I am celebrating my induction with my friends and family in front of the crowd at Lord?s during the second Ashes Test.
"I was very lucky to play in a wonderful era of Australian cricket and make so many friends along my 20 year journey. I hope I kept everyone entertained and on the edge of their seat when they watched the Australian cricket team play. Thank you very much again and I feel very humbled by today`s induction."
