Australian cricket legend Allan Border was known for his gruff on-field persona, earning the nickname ‘Captain Grumpy’ for the trait.
But on Wednesday night at the MCG one of the hardest men to grace a field was brought to the verge of tears by one question.
Border sat on stage alongside fellow cricket greats Mark Taylor, Nasser Hussain, Merv Hughes, and Brian Lara.
LIVE UPDATES: The latest tributes and news from Warne’s MCG state memorial
When the panel were introduced by Mark Howard, Border was visibly emotional.
He quipped he would “rather be out there (on the MCG wicket) facing (West Indies fast bowler legend) Curtly Ambrose”.
At the end of their segment, Howard turned to Border and asked – “what would you say to Warnie if he was here right now?”.
Border teared up as he gave his response.
“Thankyou for making my captaincy… it revitalised my captaincy towards the end of my time,” Border said.
“I was lucky to have two years with Shane, and I’d just thank him for that.”
Border was Warne’s first captain at Test level, and he was followed by Mark Taylor in the job.
Taylor was also asked what he would say to Warne now.
“He made slow bowling fashionable again, he made it cool,” Taylor said.
“It made AB (Border) and I in particular, because we captained him, we appreciated it because it made us better captains and better leaders.”
West Indies batting legend Brian Lara remembered playing golf with Warne as friends.
“I’d always been in a rush to get out of Shane’s Ferrari after a game of golf,” Lara recalled.
“But this time I’d stop and I’d look back, and I’d say ‘you are the greatest Australian that I know, and I cherish our friendship, and I’ve always been honoured to be in your presence’.”
Former England captain Nasser Hussain is adamant Warne was the best bowler to ever play cricket.
“It was an absolute privilige to be on a cricket field with you,” Hussain said of his late friend.
“You were the greatest bowler I ever saw, and in the last 10 years it’s been an absolute privilege to share a comm-box with you and call you a friend.
“We love ya, and we’ll miss you.”
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