Shane Warne’s son Jackson opens up about the priceless advice his dad gave him in the nets

Jackson Warne is a chip off the old block in many ways when it comes to his late, great father Shane Warne.

Now the son of the Aussie leg-spinning legend has revealed the net sessions with his famous dad prior to his tragic death where he got a real insight into the craft of turning a cricket ball.

Prior to his sudden death at 52 in March this year, Shane mentioned that Jackson had never really been into cricket as a child. 

‘I never pushed Jackson into cricket… He played it for a year, took a hat-trick – took four wickets in five balls – bowling a little bit of leg-spin or with the seam, smashed a few with the bat. Still, the game didn’t really grab him,’ he said.

But now Jackson has relived the moment the pair went back into the nets when he was an adult for some bonding time as he got a better understanding of what his dad did in the Australian team.

‘We went twice in 2020 and 2021 to the nets and I tried bowling leg-spin,’ Jackson told Channel 7.

Jackson Warne hugs family and friends during the state memorial service for former Australian cricketer Shane Warne at the Melbourne Cricket Ground

‘[Dad said] just so you know, what you’re about to try and do is the hardest thing to do in cricket.

‘It’s more about your wrists, you’re using your shoulder, spinning your ankle at the right time and I tried it.’

‘After about two hours, I said to Dad this is pretty hard work you did for such a long time; congratulations,’ Jackson said.

‘You were the best at it. I can’t even bowl six good balls – one was hitting the top of the net, other one was hitting the floor, none were getting to spin or to slow.’

Shane was more than just a father to Jackson, the pair were incredibly close and regarded each other as best friends.

It made his passing even harder to take, especially given his public profile.

Jackson said the Warne family were still being humbled by the ongoing support they were recieving from the Australian public nine months on from his death. 

‘The outpouring we have seen since March has been unbelievable, more than we expect,’ Jackson said.

Warne celebrates his hat trick after he has batsman Devon Malcolm of England caught by David Boon on the fifth day of the second test match in Melbourne during The Ashes

Warne prepares to roll the arm over and takes yet another wicket in his decorated Test career

‘To see how much of a shock it was for the rest of the world, especially Australia, and to still see how many messages we have received of condolences, positive messages and also people that can relate, who have either lost a father, loved one, brother, sister, partner or whoever it is, they can also relate to the feeling of having to mourn and grieve.

 ‘It also makes me feel like I’m not alone. It has brought me, Summer and Brooke closer together. I couldn’t ask for a greater couple of sisters, my mum, grandpa, cousin uncle, everyone has been close. I’m very lucky that we have got a very good support network and we are all sticking together.

Jackson said the public outpouring of support for his family after Shane’s death had been staggering and he spoke of the humble man his dad was privately

While Warne was a larger-than-life figure with a great thirst for life in the public eye, Jackson revealed he was far more measured when in private surroundings. 

‘Dad was so humble. Most of his house, he never had a trophy cabinet. He never had his trophies up on shelves. He was never talking to people about them. He was never showing anything off. He was always very humble,’ he said.

‘I’m just glad that Australia and a lot of the world can see, especially since the state memorial, how much of a father he truly was and how much of a dad he really was.

‘You might see Shane Warne on the pitch, in the media and in the politics, but when you actually met the Shane Warne at home at the poker nights, watching the Saints cheering on, that is the Shane everyone knew.

‘I’m glad everyone recognises he was a lot more than the Shane Warne cricketer, he was actually the Shane Warne the best father anyone could have asked for, and my best friend.’