Image courtesy of: adelaidenow.com.au

Warne was the first cricketer to ever take 700 Test wickets

Former Australia spin king Shane Warne will be inducted into the International Cricket Council (ICC) Hall of Fame during today’s Ashes tea interval at Lord’s.

Warne is the 69th member to be inducted into the illustrious Hall of Fame and he will join 2012-13 inductees Brian Lara of the West Indies, England’s Enid Bakewell and his long-time friend and team-mate Glenn McGrath.

Lara and Bakewell were inducted during the ICC awards in Colombo last September, while McGrath was inducted during Australia’s third Test against Sri Lanka in January in Sydney.

Warne, who represented Australia between 1992 and 2007, took 708 Test wickets at an average of 25.41.

The spin king was the first cricketer in the history of the game to take 700 Test wickets.

He also represented the baggy greens in 194 ODIs and claimed 293 wickets at an average of 25.73, while also being a part of the country’s World Cup winning squad in 1999.

Warne was named Player of the Final in the 1999 World Cup after taking four wickets from his nine overs.

“I’m very honoured and proud to be announced as an inductee into the ICC Hall of Fame and I’d like to thank the voting academy very much for even considering me,” Warne said. “I’m looking forward to celebrating my induction with my friends and family in front of the crowd at Lord’s during the second Ashes Test.”