The end is now in sight for the great Shane Warne. He has now announced that he is pulling the plug on his international cricket career at the end of the Ashes series. It would be the perfect time to retire, with the Ashes safely home and at the very top of his game.

The loss of Warne will be hard to cover. Australia’s spin bowling stocks are very thin (no pun intended) without him. Stuart MacGill will provide some cover, and although he bowls with an amazing amount of luck, he will never be the equal of Warne. The rest are finger spinners and unlikely ever to have the influence on a game that Warne has.

Warne's bowling prowess is unequalled. While there is little argument that he is the best legspinner ever, he may well be the finest all round-cricketer of his generation. Had his personal life not been so “interesting”, he would almost certainly hav been captain of one of the best cricket sides since Bradman’s invincibles.

Controversy has been Warne’s constant companion. The paid pitch-report scandal, smoking, drugs allegations and his extra-curricular activities have all contributed to Warne missing out on the top job.

He has been on the receiving end of some intense media scrutiny that has cost him immensely both personally and professionally. Sadly, he may be remembered as much for his nocturnal dalliances as for his on-field brilliance. While Warney has a remarkable cricket brain, he seemed to be unable to think through the consequences of his off-field activities.

The public pillorying has led to him being one of the most disliked sportsmen on the planet, particularly among women. Warne’s reputation is so poor that the literary icon that is the Reader’s Digest had him rated as one of the most untrustworthy Australians - rating only marginally higher than the failed Prime Ministerial hopeful, Mark Latham.

What did he do to deserve this harsh treatment? He has had the occasional nude romp with some English slappers. So, he gets caught with his hand down his pants while having a chat on the mobile phone, who hasn’t, but the only people he has let down are his wife and kids.

While that is nothing to be proud of, it is a bit rich to form an opinion on his trustworthiness on the limited facts presented to us through the very agencies that were complicit in his entrapment.

As Warne heads towards 700 wickets he can look back very proudly on a career that is without equal in the modern game. No doubt Muttiah Muralitharan will eventually pass Warney’s total, but there will always be the question marks over the affable Sri-Lankan’s career. There has never been any question raised about Warne’s bowling action.

His presence on the cricket field is menacing. He never gives batsmen a moment’s respite. His legendary control builds pressure and, coupled with his enthusiastic appealing, has made him one of the most feared opponents in the game. Last year (2005) was Warne's best year ever, taking 96 wickets, including a stand out performance of 40 in the Ashes series. This year has been much quieter, but he has still had a huge impact when he was needed most. In reality, he probably has a few more ears of successful cricket left in him.

He will be sadly missed and will still dominate highlight reels for years to come as he leaves behind him a string of shattered records. Characters of Warne’s ilk have revitalised Test cricket. The Test sell-outs this summer are a direct result of the excitement and interest generated by the likes of Warne. The departure of Warne and some of his senior team mates will mean the end of an era for Australian cricket and opponents must be breathing a sigh of relief that they will finally have a much easier time of it.