Be Warned! Shane's a clever dick when it comes to cricket's brain game

It is said of Shane Warne that he gave his willy a name because he was sick of some nameless stranger making all of his decisions for him. While not all of his willy’s decisions have been great ones, it has allowed Warney to apply his limited IQ to a far more important task – thinking about cricket.

As unlikely as it would seem, Warney has one of the finest cricket minds the game has ever known. He has an innate ability to read the game and, more importantly, the ability to pick the right thing to do at the right time.

He is a revelation as a captain/coach. He has led the underrated Rajasthan Royals to within sight of the top of the IPL points table, ahead of much more highly fancied opposition. He has built a coherent team based not on superstars, but on honest performers who have shown themselves willing to learn from a master.

There are many Aussie fans who lament the fact that Warne was never given the captaincy of the Test side. It would be a much different side to the one that has evolved under Ricky Ponting.