Normal service resumed on The Shane Warne Show after the legendary leg spinner proved the catalyst to the Melbourne Stars' eight-run T20 Big Bash League win over the Brisbane Heat at the Gabba.
Never one to be kept quiet, Warne bounced back from his underwhelming Big Bash debut last weekend to take 1 for 22 off his four overs and turn the match.
He upstaged Test quick Ryan Harris's comeback for the Heat.
Back after a hip injury cut short his Test tour of South Africa, Harris took 1 for 31 off four overs before his unbeaten 55-run eight wicket stand with Michael Neser gave the Heat some hope of victory in front of a record crowd of 29,241.
Needing 20 runs off the last over to win, the Heat fell just short at 7 for 169 despite big hitting by Neser (30 not out) and Harris (25 not out).
"We probably didn't bowl as well again and they scored too many at the top," Harris told Grandstand after the match.
"I reckon I'm fit [for possible Boxing Day Test selection], I was pretty good when I bowled. A little bit stiff in between spells but once I got going I was fine. Running in the end, I didn't feel anything.
"This is the high-intensity work-out I wanted and with all the bowling I can get in the next week or two, I'll be right to go."
Warne earlier had done his best Nostradamus impersonation, accurately predicting the demise of Heat opener Brendon McCullum for 36.
Miked up for the pay-TV coverage, Warne said: "He might try to sweep me so I'll just slide one through".
Next ball Warne did just that, bowling a sweeping McCullum around his legs.
Warne caught Peter Forrest (12) next over before his tight bowling led to the runout of Andrew Robinson (1) and suddenly the Heat had gone from 2 for 85 to 5 for 100 in the 12th over.
They never recovered despite Neser and Harris' efforts.
David Hussey lauded Warne's performance, saying age has no bearing on his gift or his ability to pull a crowd.
"He loves the big stage," he told Grandstand.
"Great crowd tonight here at the Gabba ... I'm rapt that the crowd turned out to watch a champion play again for the last time.
"[The record turn-out] showed up the rest of Australia, really. Hopefully the MCG fans come out next time we play at home in the new year and we turn it on."
Earlier, Rob Quiney's 60-ball 97 helped lift the Stars to 7 for 177.
Quiney put on a 59-ball, 105-run third wicket stand with David Hussey (45 off 33 balls while Nathan Hauritz took 3 for 18 off four overs for the Heat.
The Heat had started their response in fiery fashion with blazing openers McCullum and home-town favourite Matthew Hayden carving the Stars apart.
Hayden was first to go after smashing a useful 22 from 10, as the hosts raced to 2 for 60 off just six overs.
But the innings came undone when Warne bowled McCullum before Forrest followed four runs later.
Test-hopeful Dan Christian looked to get the fireworks going again with a hooked six over fine leg off James Faulkner, but the southpaw responded the very next ball, forcing a top-edge to snare his man at long on.
Things got worse as Nick Buchanan (2) stood on his own stumps while attempting a pull shot, before the Heat's Harris-led revival ultimately came up short.
After the game, all-rounder Christian rued Brisbane's second loss on the trot.
"Same as our game in Sydney, really - we lost consistent wickets all the way through and we were just unable to build a good partnership that would get us through the innings," Harris told Grandstand.
"[Warne] bowled really well, just contained us really. There's quite big boundaries down there so it was hard to have a go at him.
"With seven games I think three or four wins should get you close, but just from a momentum point of view it would be nice to get off the mark in Perth."
ABC/AAP
Tags: twenty20, cricket, sport, brisbane-4000, qld, australia, melbourne-3000, vic First posted December 20, 2011 22:51:04
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