SYDNEY: Australia’s retiring star spin bowler Shane Warne has described how he wept as his marriage fell apart during the 2005 Ashes series over off-field romps with other women.
In a frank exchange with top British television interviewer Michael Parkinson, Warne admits the marriage break-up was his fault, Australian media reported Monday ahead of the broadcast later in the day.
“There were times when I sat by myself and cried,” he told Parkinson.
“Some of the things that I’ve done and the mistakes I’ve made I’m not proud of, but it shows I’m human,” said the world’s top Test wicket-taker.
“If I had stopped and thought ‘hang on a minute’, I wouldn’t have done it. But unfortunately I gave way to temptation.”
Warne said, however, he was proud of how he had handled the stress of the divorce during the Ashes campaign in England, in which Australia lost the treasured trophy for the first time in 18 years.
“I was quite proud of the way I handled the situation because it’s never easy going through divorce.
“It’s quite tough and I don’t think that anyone realises how hard it is and all the things you have to go through when you go through divorce.
“But to do it so publicly was even harder and I think a lot of people were looking to me to fall to pieces and I wasn’t going to do that.”
Warne said he had not ruled out a reconciliation with his ex-wife, Simone.
“I haven’t ruled out getting back together, but we both have to work out (whether) that’s what we want.
“I don’t think we want to get back for the wrong reasons. As I said, we’ve got three beautiful children together but we’ve both got to get back (together) because we both want to.”
Later in the interview for UKTV, Warne says: “I still love Simone, I still love my children.
“I’m a very good parent, I’m a good dad. I mightn’t be the best husband, but I’m a good dad and if we can all work that out together and make that work, then great.”
Warne retired from international cricket last week in the final Test of the Ashes series, where Australia regained the urn with a 5-0 whitewash of England.
The incomparable leg-spinner finished his 145-Test career with 708 wickets, the most wickets by any bowler.
Meanwhile, in his regular column in The Times, Warne voiced his desire to set up a cricket academy for children in England.
Warne repeated that Australian cricket was his priority and that his manager had been talking to Cricket Australia about a possible role.
But he also said he wanted to “make sure that cricket stays healthy worldwide”.
“I would not have any problem with helping in England, New Zealand, South Africa or anywhere else,” Warne wrote.
“One idea I have is for a Shane Warne Cricket Academy for kids in England. I don’t know how it may work or how feasible it would be. Whatever I do, I want to do it properly.” – Agencies
