Stuart MacGill spills beans on Shane Warne myth as cricketer breaks silence

Aussie cricketer Stuart MacGill has debunked a widely-held theory about his relationship with Shane Warne in a tell-all interview.

Stuart MacGill has debunked the theory Shane Warne blocked him from having a full Test career.

In a tell-all interview on the Howie Games podcast, MacGill has broken his silence after his life fell apart following a very public fall from grace.

MacGill in May walked free from court after he was spared jail over his role in facilitating a $330,000 drug deal.

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The 54-year-old has now shared the highs and lows of his rollercoaster career as he attempts to rebuild his once high-flying life.

One of his most noteworthy admissions surrounds his relationship with Spin King Warne.

He told host Mark Howard his own talents were only recognised because Warne put leg spin bowling on the map after decades of fast-bowling dominance.

Stuart MacGill and Shane Warne became Big Bash rivals.

“Shane was so incredibly effective, he just didn’t bowl bad balls — I did,” MacGill said on The Howie Games.

“He worked on trapping the batsmen in the crease. I worked on getting them to try and score from me.

“I had lunch with Ian Chappell recently and he said if ever there were two wrist spinners who could play together it was you two because you tried to do different things.’’

MacGill went on to joke: “I was feeding off him. I’m like a little parasite.”

MacGill had previously opened up about his relationship with Warne in an emotional column for Code Sports where he honoured his former teammate following his death at the age of 52.

MacGill wrote it had been an “absolute pleasure” to live his own career in Warne’s shadow.

One of his few regrets is that he was only able to play alongside Warne 16 times during his career of 44 Tests and 208 wickets.

He holds no grudges or even second thoughts about constantly being asked what he believes his career could have been if not for Warne taking centre stage.

“Whether or not I was effective during my time in the Test team is irrelevant, in my opinion,” he said.

“What is most significant is the fact that the opportunity in the first place only came about because of Shane’s effectiveness.”

MacGill rebuilding life after drug deal

According to NSW Police, MacGill was allegedly abducted and held at gun point when a drug deal went south.

MacGill was earlier this year found guilty by a jury of helping to set up, and being present at, a meeting between his partner’s brother and a street-level drug dealer underneath his Neutral Bay restaurant in April 2021.

Shane Warne (R) & Stuart MacGill were a formidable combo. Photo: Brett Costello.

MacGill had claimed he simply introduced the drug dealer, who can only be known as Person A, and his brother-in-law and played no part in a later drug deal.

However, that version of events was rejected by the jury during his eight-day trial.

Judge Nicole Noman sentenced MacGill to a one-year-and-10-month intensive corrections order – to be served in the community – and ordered him to perform 495 hours of community service.

MacGill was in March found guilty by a jury of one count of taking part in the supply of a prohibited drug.

He was found not guilty of the more serious charge of taking part in the supply of a large commercial quantity of a prohibited drug.

Noman said in sentencing: “The offender’s colossal lapse of judgment has been causative of a very public fall from grace.”

Speaking on the podcast, MacGill admits he hit rock bottom and has days where he “doesn’t want to open the curtains”.

“If you hit rock bottom there is sunshine ahead,” MacGill said.

“If anything particularly bothers me I just don’t think about it. I learned that through playing Test cricket.

“If you have a bad day don’t buy a paper. If you have a good day buy every paper in the stand.’’

Originally published as Stuart MacGill spills beans on Shane Warne myth as cricketer breaks silence