Shane Warne’s final meal sums up cricket legend to a tee

One of Shane Warne’s closest mates with him in Thailand has opened up on their final moments together before the legend’s tragic death.

One of the friends holidaying with Shane Warne when he died in Thailand has opened up one of the cricket legend’s classy final acts — as well as his all-Aussie last meal that summed the 52-year-old up to a tee.

Tom Hall was part of the group staying at the Samujan resort on the island of Koh Samui when Warne tragically suffered a suspected heart attack.

Hall, who met Warne about 15 years ago at a charity poker tournament and remained close ever since, penned an article on The Sporting News — which he is CEO of — paying tribute to the leg-spinner and detailing the last moments they shared together.

After figuring out how to watch the Australia-Pakistan Test on TV, Hall said Warne told his mate he had “bought you a present” and headed off “excitedly” to his room.

“You’re never quite sure what that means with Shane; it could be a bottle of his 708 gin, his fragrance, some book he thought I would enjoy or a random T-shirt,” Hall wrote. “He came back with an armful of clothes looking like he had been at a yard sale. Neo and Gaz were obviously aware of what was going on as Neo pulled out his camera.

“Shane had been working with me at The Sporting News for the past year or so and he presented me with his jumper from the 2005 Ashes Test, his 2008 IPL shirt and a one-day international shirt and cap to place in the TSN offices in Australia and the UK. Amazing gifts I knew the teams would love and cherish.

“As we went through the shirts and jumpers, more stories came out about the first IPL season and how he had inherited a team which had several unknown players in it. They lost their opening game, but Shane told (Rajasthan Royals owner) Manoj Badale, ‘Don’t worry mate, we’ll be OK’. They promptly won the rest of their games and the inaugural IPL title.”

Shane Warne was the star of the 2005 Ashes - even if Australia lost.

Then it was time for a bite to eat and Warne’s final meal will come as no surprise to anybody aware of his penchant for snacks such as cheese toasties, baked beans and Hawaiian pizzas.

Hall also revealed after he left, Warne was going back to his room to call his kids.

“After joking around with the various cricket gear and Rob and a few others getting pictures with Shane, we decide on a quick bite to eat,” Hall wrote.

“The conversation ran from poker, to a planned trip to Tulum in Mexico, the upcoming IPL season and the usual assortment of golfing stories.

“I have dined with Shane in many fine establishments, but rather than sample some of the local Thai fare, we tuck into a plate of Vegemite on toast. Shane chomping away: ‘Geez, you can’t beat Vegemite with some butter, always great wherever you are in the world’.

“An Australian through and through — this was to turn out to be his last meal. Ever the caring father, as I was leaving, he headed up to his bedroom to call his kids.”

There will never be another like him. (Photo by Mark Nolan/Getty Images)

Warne’s long-time manager James Erksine said Warne had just finished a “ridiculous” diet before his death, where he consumed mostly fluids for 14 days.

“He did go on these ridiculous sorts of diets and he just finished one, where he basically only ate fluids for 14 days and he’d done this three or four times,” Erskine told Weekend Today.

“It was a bit … all or nothing. It was either white buns with butter and lasagne stuffed in the middle or he would be having black and green juices.

“I don’t know, he obviously smoked most of his life. I don’t know, I think it was just a massive heart attack. That’s what I think’s happened.”

Meanwhile, paramedics have revealed the scene they were confronted with when called to Warne’s room and detailed their valiant — but ultimately futile — attempts to save his life.

“Shane’s friends were already trying to bring him back to life,” Paramedic Anuch Han-iam told The Sun. “I took over doing CPR while we waited for an ambulance.

They were desperate. I think one was crying. They were really stressed and panicked.

“They kept trying to wake him and I heard someone saying, ‘Come on, Shane. Come on, Shane’.

“I could see they were all shocked and I just tried to concentrate and do my best.

“There were about four or five other people in the room. All men, there were no women.

“The villa was clean and I didn’t see any beer or cigarettes inside.

“There was nothing unusual that made me think they’d been partying. I didn’t know when I arrived that it was Shane Warne. But I know who he is, he’s a star.

“I did my best for him and gave all my energy. I’m so sorry that I couldn’t help him.”