Warnie (miniseries)

''Warnie'' is an Australian television miniseries based on the life of cricketer Shane Warne, that aired on 25 June and concluded on 26 June 2023. It was based on the career and struggles of the late cricketer.

Plot

Part 1

A voiceover plays with Shane commenting on his rise to cricket, his scandals and how he received Queen's Birthday Honours and even a State Funeral.

Shane ( Alex Williams) is seen in his hotel room where he is recovering from shoulder surgery and he is set to be dropped from the side as he isn't match fit, he manages to convince the captain Steve Waugh (Tom Stokes) he is fine to play the match. Shane reveals that he played the match with an injured shoulder.

Shane in a flashback is seen during his days playing for St Kilda in the AFL, when he receives a letter saying that his services for the team were no longer required, as he begins taking odd jobs including a delivery job.

Shane begins his career by playing in the local competition and even goes to the State Academy where he says due to his fitness and his smoking he didn't stay long but it is also where he met Terry 'TJ' Jenner ( Anthony Hayes) and he begins training under him and he learns how to spin bowl.

When Shane is given the opportunity to play for Australia when he receives a call while he is at home, he celebrates with his family when he is told he will be playing for Australia. Shane is later dumped from the team after his first match and his mentor TJ Jenner tells him that if he trained he would be good enough to play again, and he tells Shane he has an opportunity that he cannot waste.

Shane meets Simone Callahan ( Marny Kennedy) at a cricket event and the two begin a relationship where he breaks the rules to see her in the hotel after he cannot take her on the team bus. Simone is worried after her friend Julie says that she isn't worried about the match but what comes after it in the groupies, Simone says to her that he is a good guy and loyal.

Shane goes to a nightclub where he bets and loses money in the casino when he reveals that's where he met a bookmaker named 'John' who bet on cricket. John tells him he has made him so much money and offers him $5000 on casino chips and Shane declines until he meets him again with $5000 in cash, again Shane uses it to gamble. But the media have a field day when they spot him smoking at the same nightclub after he promised a quit aid that he would stop.

As Shane and Mark Waugh ( Ben Hall) face Malcolm Speed (Andrew Blackman) after allegations of a 'bribe' were made against another team's captain, Speed tells the both of them that the scandal and bookmaking deal with need to be made public to save the face of Cricket Australia. Shane and Mark agree, but when Shane tries to leave he is told to stay.

Shane's bowling legacy is made when he bowls the 'ball of the century' dismissing Mike Gatting during the Ashes Test.

Later, when Shane and Mark face the CEO of Cricket Australia, he makes them come clean to the public and says that this is the only way to get on top of the scandal that is about to erupt; they all front the media to where Shane and Mark reveal they both received payments for telling opposing team captains pitch details and weather conditions, Shane's parents watch the press conference from home, Shane and Mark deny allegations of match fixing. Shane later reveals that he received a fine of $8,000 and Mark received a $10,000 fine.

While Shane and Simone prepare the baby room for their child, Shane sees on the news that Saleem Malik has made the news after he was banned from cricket for his part in the match tampering scandal and Shane mentions how much he hates 'cheaters'.

While Shane is playing away on tour Simone is in hospital with Brigette after the birth of her child watching him play.

Shane bowls in the nets with TJ, and TJ sees that he is having trouble with his bowling and he asks what's happening, Shane sees his bowling finger is swollen and his shoulder is hurting and asks for advice, TJ replies if he knows a good surgeon, Shane says he can't take time away from the game. But Shane undergoes surgery on both his finger and shoulder and when he attempts to play he is almost dropped from the side by Steve.

Shane reveals that after he has one bad game he wanted to quit due to media attention he was receiving. Steve pulls him aside after the game and says that he knows Shane is anything but a loser and he wants him to focus on the team and winning.

When Shane injures his shoulder again and faces surgery, he undergoes intense rehab with the teams physio Errol. When his mother (Jacquie Brennan) comes in and says that he isn't looking "crash hot" and fat shames him after putting weight on after surgery. Shane tells her that he can't run at the moment, and she tells him to just "take a pill".

Shane later phones Simone and is woken up by the call and Shane says that he took a pill that was on the banned substance list and reveals that he failed a drug test and his career is on the line.

Part 2

Shane learns from his brother Jason, that the drug he had used to lose weight mask it in his system. When Simone points out that he did recover very quickly, Shane bites back, saying that he had the help of a world class rehab team, Shane says that if he blames his mother he will look like a 'dickhead', Jason says that 'that horse bolted' and that no one is blaming Brigitte.

Shane deals with the public fallout of his drug scandal. He faces a secret disciplinary meeting where his mother reveals that she told Shane to take the pill to 'get rid of his double chin'. She is questioned by a hearing lawyer (Georgina Naidu) if she knew the pills were banned under the Cricket Australia Drug Policy and she says that it wasn't banned in her house as she had taken 'heaps of them'. Shane is subsequently banned from playing cricket for 12 months.

While Shane is serving his suspension, his family visit and Shane is livid that he can't even bowl a ball to his son in the park or play in a local competition. Brigette apologies to him but Shane assures her that it wasn't her fault. Keith (Jeremy Stanford) is furious over the whole situation and calls it a 'witch hunt'. Shane talks with Simone who says that he can appeal his ban or they can fine him, but it won't stop him.

The fallout continues, with Shane facing more scrutiny from the media over his texting scandal with a UK nurse. Simone tells Shane the media are camped outside the house and even woke up one of the children.

Shane faces the media and expresses regret over what transpired and how he let down his family, Simone watches on and speaks with TJ. When Shane finishes his interview he speaks with TJ who is furious with him and says that he needs to stop causing controversy.

Shane is forced into a meeting with CEO, Speed and makes him read all his recent articles from all over the world. Speed tells Shane that he is being stripped of the vice captaincy and Shane asks if it will be temporary if he can make the scandals go away. Speed looks at Shane and tells him that if that were to happen he would consider it, but he asks Shane if he himself can realistically see his scandals cease to occur.

Shane faces scrutiny again in 2005 over another cheating scandal involving British student, Laura Sayers (Dannielle Woodward). Laura sells her story to the press in exchange for £10,000 and a holiday. Shane hears the news from his brother Jason (Darcy Kent) and asks if there is anyway to kill the story, Jason tells him that there isn't. Shane is then forced to reveal to Simone that there has been another girl. An argument ensues and Simone storms out of the house into a media circus waiting outside. The affair leads to the breakdown of their marriage, and Simone moves back to Australia with the children.

Shane reveals he is retiring from cricket due to his marriage breakdown. He faces the media and tells them that the final two Test matches will be his last. The press ask if he can become the world's greatest wicket taker, and Shane says that he has backed himself before and will continue to do so. During his final two Test matches, Shane takes his 700th wicket, and after his retirement he becomes a spokesmen for the game. Shane later meets Elizabeth Hurley

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