Warne was watching cricket, had not been drinking: Manager

Shane Warne’s manager rubbished the conception that the legendary Australian cricketer was a heavy drinker, adding that he was not boozing at the Thailand villa where he was found unconscious before being pronounced dead on Friday. Warne’s long-time manager said the leg-spinner was on a diet plan as he was looking to shed weight and regain full fitness.

Warne was on a week-long holiday with three friends at the Samujana Villas resort, the start of a three-month layoff after covering the 2021-22 Ashes series for Fox Sports.

A report in Sydney Morning Herald on Saturday said that the legendary spinner’s business manager performed CPR for about 20 minutes to save him. “The 52-year-old’s long-time manager told the Herald and The Age (that) Warne had not been drinking before he was found by his friend Andrew Neophitou, an executive producer on his recently released documentary, who had gone to Warne’s Thailand hotel room before a planned dinner,” the report said.The reports added that Warne was found unconscious “with the historic first Test between Australia and Pakistan playing on the television”. It said the legendary spinner was holidaying at a resort in Koh Samui, Thailand “as part of a rare extended holiday” and was scheduled to travel to the UK on his commentating assignment.

“They were meant to meet some people at 5pm. Neo (Neophitou) was next door, he’s always on time,” Warne’s long-time manager James Erskine said.

“He realised he wasn’t well. He tried to give mouthto-mouth, tried to resuscitate him, he had no heartbeat, the ambulance came 20 minutes later and an hour and a bit later he was pronounced dead (at the Thai International Hospital).”

According to Erskine, Warne was off drinks as he’d been dieting. “He was on holiday, having a lie down, siesta, he hadn’t been drinking, he’d been on this diet to lose weight,” he said.

“He didn’t drink much. Everyone thinks he’s a big boozer but he’s not a big boozer at all. I sent him a crate of wine, 10 years later it’s still there. He doesn’t drink, never took drugs, ever. He hated drugs so nothing untoward,” added Erskine.

Foul play ruled out
Thai police on Saturday ruled out foul play in the shock death of Australian cricket superstar Shane Warne, who died of a suspected heart attack while on holiday on the paradise island of Koh Samui. (Agencies)

Legend to receive Australian state funeral
Australia’s Prime Minister Scott Morrison on Saturday said Australians were “bewildered” by a “sad and sudden loss” of Shane Warne, and announced the cricketing hero would receive a state funeral.