He was a no-nonsense, uncompromising bowler who had an arm like lightning on the pitch and a life that was equally explosive off the field.

Today, Shane Warne, an Australian cricketer, died at 52 from a suspected heart attack while on Koh Samui (Thailand).

Fox Sports, where he commented, said that he was "found unresponsive" in his villa and that "despite all the efforts of medical staff, it was impossible for him to be revived".

Many tributes have been sent to the legend, including one from Gary Lineker who stated that he could not "quite believe" it.

Match of the Day's star added, "Terribly shocked and saddened to hear that Shane Warne had died." "The greatest spin bowler of all times."

Piers Morgan, Sun columnist, tweeted: "He was genius cricketer. A supreme entertainer. A fantastic bloke. And a great loyal friend for many decades."

Shane is widely considered to be one of the greatest cricketers of history. His iconic 'Ball of the Century’ at Old Trafford 1993 remains the sport's most-watched video.

However, the legendary sportsman was just as well-known for his antics off the field, thanks to his history of partying and boozing, which culminated with an infamous relationship with Liz Hurley, and the end to his 10-year-marriage.

We remember his colorful and controversial life.

Live updates from Shane Warne's death can be found on our Shane Warne Blog

Prodigy Aussie with an arm like lightning

Shane's talents were recognized at school in Victoria, Melbourne when he was offered an athletic scholarship to Mentone Grammar.

He was 14 years old when he joined the University of Melbourne Cricket Club. His leg-spin and off spin bowling skills set him apart.

This led to him playing for the national team, and he became known as one of cricket's greatest bowlers.

His 'ball-of-the-century' bowl became history in 1993 thanks to an utterly magical match against Mike Gatting, England's Ashes cricketer.

With a spin and drift that caught the bowler off guard, it led to laughter and gasps from the crowd.

Graham Gooch, ex-captain of England commented on the reaction of the bowled-out player.

He was also the joint-leading wicket taker for Australia in 1999 when they won the World Cup.

Shane was a man who put his performance first. He took 708 test wickets, and ran more than 3,000 runs in a distinguished international career that spanned 15 year.

He set a number Of Ashes records, including the most wickets in competition history (195), which was 38 more than Glenn McGrath's second-place finish.

Shane's 2005 test wicket total of 96, including 40 in Ashes, topped the charts. This is still the highest number for a single player in a calendar year.

Booze & affairs

His performances and antics off the field were making headlines all over the globe.

Shane was well-known for his romantic relationships, including an affair with Liz Hurley, a legendary actress and model.

His wife Simone Callahan, his 10 year-old wife, left him in 2005 amid reports of cheating.

This was in addition to previous claims that he had sent explicit text messages to a British nurse back in 2000. He also allegedly pursued student Laura Sayers, and mother-of-three Kerrie Colimore.

Simone ended her marriage to Shane when he said it was his lowest point. He then turned to alcohol.

"I would go back to the minibar. He recalled that he was alone in the hotel room, crying "you d***head",

In 2011, Shane had been engaged to Hurley. However, the couple split two years later.

He described feeling "quite sad" that it was over and how he loved his wife deeply on A Week With Warnie.

Shane said, "I didn’t introduce her until it was real and it had a future. It wasn’t just a little bit of fun.

Each night, 10 pints of beer and chicken and chips

Shane was a beloved comedian who earned an army of admirers for his cheeky antics. He was even sent home from a cricket academy after he dropped his pants in 1990.

He said, "I was the rebel." "I mooned at some people in Darwin on the balcony."

Shane was also known for his tendency to slap at authority. This led to him being praised by musicians like Ed Sheeran or Chris Martin.

Sheeran called Shane "one of few rock 'n’ roll sportsmen”, while Martin was impressed with his attitude.

He stated, "This guy doesn’t give a damn but is somebody who gives the f*** more than anybody else."

The cricketer was also a yo-yoer and was at his biggest in 1991 when he consumed "10 pints, chicken and chips" every evening.

Shane was able to reverse the situation and was proud that he could still enjoy pizzas, pies, and "spaghetti hoops" for breakfast but in moderation.

He smoked up to 50 cigarettes per day over his lifetime.

He was once paid PS200,000 by Nicorette as an aid to quitting smoking. Later, he was captured puffing on a cigarette.

He was banned from playing cricket in 2003 for using a banned substance that he claimed to be a diet pill.

He said, "I'm so against drugs." He said, "I never used drugs."

"Cricket" is a very simple game

Shane never seemed to let the challenges in his career get in the way of his performance.

Even during England's 2005 Ashes win, the fans sang for hours "Where's your mistress gone?"

He stated that he was able to overcome everything because he was strong upstairs. "I blocked out everything."

Shane was an unquestionable talent. His personal life was not always easy, but he was always honest and a great player.

He stated, "I don’t pretend to be perfect. I’ve got lots of faults."

It is difficult to quantify Shane's blood, sweat, and tears, but it was never that hard for him.

He stated that cricket was a simple sport to him. It's easy to just go out and have fun.