'One of the greatest' - Durham CCC pay tribute as cricket legend Shane Warne dies aged 52

Warne – a larger-than-life character whose 708 Test wickets has only been surpassed by contemporary rival and fellow spinner Muttiah Muralitharan – could not be revived after being found unresponsive in his Thailand villa.

“It is with great sadness we advise that Shane Keith Warne passed away of a suspected heart attack in Koh Samui, Thailand today, Friday 4 March,” a statement from his management company read.

The statement added: “Shane was found unresponsive in his Villa and despite the best efforts of medical staff, he could not be revived.

“The family requests privacy at this time and will provide further details in due course.”

Warne – who was the joint-leading wicket-taker as Australia won the 1999 World Cup and finished with 293 one-day dismissals in 194 matches – brought an illustrious 15-year international career to an end in 2007.

The cricketing world has been paying tribute, Durham CCC posted their own message on social media.

They tweeted: “One of the greatest.

“An inspiration on and off the pitch. RIP, Shane Warne.”