Australian cricket greats start annual reunion in memory of Shane Warne and Andrew Symonds

They were all members of one of cricket’s most dominant team, but it was the deaths of two beloved teammates that brought them back together last weekend.

Justin Langer, Brett Lee, Matthew Hayden, Darren Lehmann, Andy Bichel, Adam Gilchrist, Greg Blewett, Ricky Ponting and Shane Watson.

The deaths of Shane Warne and Andrew Symonds has prompted a group of Australian cricketers to hold an annual reunion to celebrate absent friends – and each other.

A tearful Ricky Ponting said after Warne’s shock passing back in March that he regretted not telling his old teammate he loved him.

“I didn’t say that, but I wish I did,” Ponting said.

Now the former Australian captain is leaving nothing to chance, and took it upon himself to organise a get together for Justin Langer, Brett Lee, Matthew Hayden, Darren Lehmann, Andy Bichel, Adam Gilchrist, Greg Blewett and Shane Watson in Melbourne and the Mornington Peninsula last weekend.

Justin Langer, Brett Lee, Matthew Hayden, Darren Lehmann, Andy Bichel, Adam Gilchrist, Greg Blewett, Ricky Ponting and Shane Watson.

Over a round of golf and dinner on the Friday, and a long lunch on Saturday afternoon watching the footy and races – into a night of belting out tunes on the jukebox – the band of brothers shared a few drinks and a mountain of memories to celebrate friendships they hope will last a lifetime.

Ponting and the players are committed to making the “emotional” and “special” reunion an annual event, motivated by the collective pain they experienced this year to not take their bond for granted.

The Australians enjoyed one of the great eras in cricket history.

“With Warnie going like he did, and I think because we’ve been through what we’ve been through, that was a bit of a catalyst for getting us all together,” Blewett told News Corp.

“One of the great things about Australian cricket all in all is the mateship through it all, so to be able to reflect on some of those times – it was quite an emotional weekend, actually.

“I’m not going to go into the ins and outs of it, but obviously some of the events in recent times have triggered some emotions and triggered all the memories.

“We certainly raised a few glasses to some absent friends and it probably made especially this year a bit more special being the first year.”

Ponting was credited by players for organising the weekend, which included accommodation for the nine greats at a pub in Sorrento.

“And the band is back together,” Ponting tweeted along with a photo of the players arm-in-arm.

“What a weekend with these legends.”

Aussie cricket was rocked by Andrew Symonds’ sudden death.

Others from the Ponting era including Mike Hussey were invited to attend but were unable due to other commitments – but it’s hoped the reunion will only continue to grow in numbers in coming years.

“It was special. It really was,” said Blewett.

“I think when the idea was put forward, it was a bit of a no-brainer for most of us, if we could make it.

“The anticipation was pretty high and then when it all took place – I knew it was going to be a great time and that’s what it was.

“We all just sat around that night and had some dinner, had some great tunes on so we all had a bit of a sing along.

“It was brilliant to spend some quality time with some of those guys. You do see a lot of them through the summer but it’s around that working environment. So it was good just to be able to chill out and just have a really, really good catch up. It couldn’t have gone better.”

In the wake of the tragic passing of NRL coach Paul Green last week, the effort of the cricketers to meet and get together represented an important message to ex-sportspeople and men everywhere to stay connected with your mates and check in.

Langer, who has only recently emerged from the intense spotlight of being Australian coach, was allowed to be just one of the boys in Sorrento as players caught up on each other’s lives.

“It was great to catch up with JL … he was just one of the nine I suppose and it was great to learn and listen to all of the guys about what they’re doing in their lives now, what they’ve got planned and where they’re going with it all,” said Blewett.

“We didn’t really talk too much about what JL had been through the last three or four years. It was more about just spending time with everyone and listening to everyone about what they’ve been up to.”