After 8 matches (1992-1993), following the home West Indian series:

M Runs W Ave 5WI 10WM Wkts per test
8 699 14 49.92 1 0 1.75

The first peak period: 1993-1998

M Runs W Ave 5WI 10WM Wkts per test
56 6517 289 22.55 13 4 5.16

The loss of form: 1998-2001

M Runs W Ave 5WI 10WM Wkts per test
31 3804 110 34.58 5 1 3.55

The second peak period: 2001-present

M Runs W Ave 5WI 10WM Wkts per test
49 6883 293 23.49 18 5 5.98

Hmmm interesting and just goes to show that stats really don't show the story with Warne. It was his injuries which let him down in the 98-01 periods really.

I'm just glad to have been alive to witness his career.

Really goes to show what a legend bowler he is not have not just 1, but TWO peak periods, the second you could argue being greater than the first (humbly pointing you toward number of wickets per match 2001-present).

hard to call 98-01 a loss of form, his shoulder was such a mess the surgeon had told him he would never bowl again.

A lot of people forget that!

Warne's comeback from shoulder and finger surgery is one of the more remarkable things about his career.

During the dark years from the start of the 1998 series in India to the end of the 2001 Ashes series Warne was nothing more than a "good" bowler.

He still had some high points as any good bowler would have - the 1999 World Cup being one example - but he was a shadow of his former self. A man who was willing his body to do things it clearly wasn't capable of doing.

England helped him get his confidence back in 2001. He then went on a massive fitness regime and by the time of the 2002 tour to South Africa he had become a "great bowler" once again.

Not many people can do that.

It reminds me of Muhammad Ali winning back the World Heavyweight Title.

Like Ali, Warne too has claims on being the "greatest".

Cheers.

Great post.

It is odd that he doesn't get the respect he deserves.

In 1998 he had 300 wickets and most experts thought 400 was no chance such was the damage to his body and yet he's taken not only 400 overall but another 400 since those dark days.