Having the same name as Australia’s greatest ever test cricket wicket taker has been interesting for veteran driver Shane Warne.
I met up unexpectedly with the 49-year-old deep in the tropics earlier this month as he stood beside the near new Kenworth 659 he drives for Gleich Contractors based at Tingoora.
When he told me his name, I asked him to show me ID to prove it, which he did.
Cricketing Warne is now aged 51 and took 704 test wickets in 145 test matches for Australia bowling his leg spinners.
He is now a popular cricket commentator who travels around the world.
“I do get people mentioning to me about being named Shane Warne but not as many as when he was still playing cricket,” Warne said.
A truckie since he was 19, Warne’s first job was with John Nash Transport, carting glass from the Dandenong region of Victoria.
“I’ve been with this company for three years and they are my best ever. The truck has every comfort,” he said.
These days Warne hauls commodities and hay around Australia and had just travelled along the Aramac to Torrens Creek Road to deliver to Corfield.
“I like stopping at the Caltex Goondiwindi as they serve great food,” he said.
Warne doesn’t follow cricket in his off time and his main hobby is restoring old trucks.
“I am restoring a 76R Model Mack and a 1974 S2 Kenworth,” he said.