Aussie leg-spinner Alana King’s perfect tribute to the late Shane Warne has brought a tear to the eye of many cricket fans.
The refrain of stumped Healy, bowled King lives on.
Cricket fans had tears in their eyes when Australian leg-spinner Alana King delivered a fitting tribute to the late Shane Warne during Australia’s opening match of the ODI World Cup against England on Saturday.
The Aussies got their tournament off to a perfect start in New Zealand with a tight 12-run win over the old enemy as they strive for their first ODI World Cup triumph since 2009.
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Batting first, Australia posted an imposing total of 3/310 on the back of a superb century by opener Rachael Haynes (130 off 131 balls) and captain Meg Lanning’s measured knock of 86 off 110 balls.
But the hero with the ball was King, who channelled her inner Warnie by taking key wickets as England put up a fight in the run chase.
The 26-year-old leggie claimed the scalp of Tammy Beaumont for 74. King tossed a ball up and it dipped, beating Beaumont for flight as the English opener was left stranded out of her crease.
Wicketkeeper Alyssa Healy knocked off the bails and Beaumont was on her way.
King celebrated the wicket by slapping the armbands on her left sleeve in a tribute to Warne, which was quickly spotted by eagle-eyed viewers.
Cricket fans said the dismissal and celebration was the perfect way to honour the legendary leg-spinner, who died of a suspected heart attack.
Making the moment even more fitting was the fact Healy, the niece of former Australian wicketkeeper Ian Healy — who was behind the stumps for much of Warne’s illustrious career — completed the stumping.
Cricket writer Andrew Wu tweeted: “This is beautiful. The drift, the drop and the tribute. Alana King with a ball Shane Warne would have been proud of.”
Sports broadcaster Robin Chipperfield added: “St. A Healy b A King. As it so often was.”
The Age’s Daniel Brettig said King’s celebration brought “a tear to the eye”.
King’s heroics didn’t end there. She dismissed Amy Jones for 4 and Sophia Dunkley for 28, finishing with figures of 3/59 off her 10 overs.
Those wickets proved crucial as England fought hard but ultimately fell just short of what would have been an epic victory.
Nat Sciver finished 109 not out and was the best of the English batters.