Reliving the day that Shane Warne came to Whitchurch

But, before the urn was wrestled back from the Australians' 18-year grip, Warne earned some new admirers on a trip to the county.

Two months before England and Australia took to the field at Lords for the series opener, Shropshire's County side had their own prestige fixture, hosting Hampshire in the first round of the Cheltenham & Gloucester Trophy.

Skippered by Warne, whose death at the age of just 52 has rocked the cricket world, the visitors arrived at Whitchurch's Heath Road Cricket Ground to be met by a large and expectant crowd – but an unexpected problem.

Shropshire's skipper on the day, Guy Home, remembers how the Hampshire coach could not make it into the ground.

"When they arrived I remember they could not get the coach into the car park at Whitchurch so they parked on the road," said Home, "so the first impression we had – there is a road that goes up the side of the pitch, and my first impression was seeing Shane Warne jumping over the fence with his kit."

Warne was not the only big name lining up for Hampshire who fielded a catalogue of internationals that day.

A star-studded line-up included a certain Kevin Pietersen, who would go on to launch a stratospheric international career later that summer, Australian test batsman Simon Katich, along with England internationals Dimitri Mascarenhas and Shaun Udal.

The match was a marquee occasion – one sadly missing from the calendar ever since, with rule changes meaning the minor counties would no longer be able to take part.

For those who were there – and who played – there are memories they will never forget – but there might have been more had it not been for Warne's insatiable will to win.

Home said: "We walked out together and he was the most down to earth lovely chap you could wish to meet. He was chatting, said what a lovely ground Whitchurch was, how much he enjoyed playing these games.

"I remember we tossed up together and unfortunately he won the toss and decided he wanted to field first. I tried everything in my repertoire to get him to bat first – to score as many runs for the crowd. I tried everything, every trick in the book, but he was not falling for it."

The match played out as Guy feared, with Hampshire's Richard Logan removing both openers cheaply – and the hosts only managed to steady the ship when Jono Whitney joined Matthew Downes at 55 for six.

The pair put on 39 for the biggest partnership of the innings – Whitney top-scoring for the side with 39 – but both fell to the leg-spinner, who finished a solid day's work with three for 20 off his eight overs.

Downes, now 47, who played for Wellington at the time, remembers how Warne's first over had been a pleasant surprise.

He said: "What I most remember is in the game we did not get off to a very good start so Jono and I just hung around, but in the back of my mind I was thinking it would be nice to be here when he comes on.

"I was facing when he came on and his first over was not actually that good. He dragged a few down, I think he had too many layers on and he took a few off and started spinning it round corners.

"It was like one of those out-of-body experiences where you can't believe you are playing against Shane Warne. It was surreal."

Warne got Downes with the googly – although like all good batsmen to this day he still thinks it was missing – shattering the plans hatched in a team meeting at the Mytton & Mermaid the night before.

"What I remember is the night before the game we had a team meeting at the Mytton & Mermaid, trying to pretend we were really professional," said Downes, "We were going through their team and we got to Warne and I think it was our pro at the time said 'since Warne has had this shoulder injury he's not been able to bowl the googly' – but the one that got me out was the googly, so much for that."

He added: "I remember the ball because I am one of those batsmen who never thinks he is out. The ball that got me must have hit me ten inches outside off stump but I got myself in a right tangle so it looked out."

Whitney, who hit Warne for two fours, said it had been surreal facing up against the greatest spin bowler of all time – all the while dealing with some chat from England's new South African.

He said: "It didn't even look like he was going to bowl at one stage as our top order had been ripped through by their seamers.

"We managed to get a couple of partnerships together down the order. I was coming off a reasonable season in Australia with the bat and batting at eight thought I had something to prove.

"Warne came on and you could sense the feel of theatre. I've never played in front of that many people. It was awesome.

"He actually dragged down his first ball, I pulled it on front of square and it went for four after bouncing just short of the rope, I was inches from hitting Shane Warne for six.

"I managed to hit him for another four, a sweep shot despite the chirp from Pietersen at slip urging me to hit him straight.

"I was eventually dismissed by Warne, I think it was actually a flipper he got slightly wrong. It slid down the leg side, I overbalanced out of my crease and the keeper whipped the bails off. Stumped off a wide but the opportunity to face a few overs of arguably the greatest bowler to play the game was an absolute privilege."

Shropshire were eventually all out for 132 with some Pietersen fireworks making short work of the chase as Hampshire eased to 133 for three.

Taking the unusual role opening the batting, the future England skipper tucked into the bowling, rattling off 76 from just 49 balls.

Home said: "He was brilliant, watching him bat he played some absolutely cracking shots. He hit a couple of sixes that are still probably travelling now."

Despite the disappointment of the result, and the spectacular opposition, the memories for all three are of Warne's generosity with his time, and down-to-earth welcoming personality.

The man who had entertained the biggest cricket stadiums on earth was just at home signing autographs and posing for pictures with excited Shropshire cricket fans, eager to catch sight of a genuine sporting superstar.

Home said: "He spoke to so many people. When they were batting all he did was sign autographs. All day long, anyone that came up to him he took the time to have a chat.

"And after the game finished, instead of going straight back he came into the marquee and had a drink with everyone. He was such a nice guy and they were just a lovely bunch of people."

Downes said: "What I remember about him as a guy is how he was happy to sign anything anyone put in front of him.

"A lot of people had said he won't stand there for hours signing things but that is what happened on the day. It was pretty surreal, the best bowler ever sat outside the pavilion at Whitchurch chain-smoking and people just walked up, there were no airs and graces, he just signed everything."

Warne's generosity even continued in some more unusual circumstances as Whitney remembers.

He said: "He couldn't have been more generous with his time. He signed every autograph, spoke to everyone who wanted to talk to him. He even signed the bat I used that day after I accosted him as he got out of the showers!

"Sadly I no longer have the bat, I carried on using it and it broke."

Warne's death has been met with an outpouring of grief and shock, and it was no different for those that faced him that day at Whitchurch.

Home said: "When I heard about it I couldn't believe it. That day was something so special. I have got a picture of us when we went out to toss up and I was looking at it the other day thinking 'this can't be true'."

Whitney, who now lives in Australia, added: "I was in disbelief at the news of his passing and it shook the whole country. What a life lived and what a legacy."