The man Aussies love and hate

In Australia tell anyone, "Shane Warne is a good bloke," only about fifty per cent of the patrons would nod in agreement, writes Ian Chappell.

It's ironic that Shane Warne should claim the title of world record holder in India, a country where he is revered by fans but often battered by their batsmen.

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When you tell an Indian that if he walked into a restaurant in Australia and called out, "Shane Warne is a good bloke," only about fifty per cent of the patrons would nod in agreement, he is stunned. In a country where Sachin Tendulkar is a virtual deity, the sheikh of tweak is looked upon as nothing short of royalty. However, in Australia, his occasional indiscretions ensure the population is divided into opposing camps regarding Warne's popularity.

I occasionally play tennis with Peter O'Malley, a young sports enthusiast. O'Malley is a tennis coach but as an 18-year-old he attended a veteran's tournament in Sydney for work experience.

At one stage he was sent to get drinks and ran into Warne who was at the fridge, grabbing a beer. "Do you drink son?" enquired the blonde bamboozler. "Yes, Mr Warne," came the reply.

Warne pulled an extra beer from the fridge, handed it to O'Malley and they chatted. O'Malley still beams when he recounts the story of a lengthy chat with Warne encompassing everything from leg-breaks to spin serves. Try telling O'Malley that Warne isn't a good bloke.

With Warne, people either like him immensely or are intense in their dislike. That is why fifty per cent of the Australian population would have cheered when he had Irfan Pathan caught and the other half would've muttered damn.