Warne unveils MCC portrait

Australian spinner Shane Warne admires his portrait © Getty Images

Shane Warne, the legendary Australian spin bowler will unveil a portrait of himself, which is the newest addition to the MCC Collection, at Lord's on Tuesday June 7.

The oil-on-linen painting of the world's leading Test wicket-taker was commissioned by MCC and has taken Chelsea-based artist Fanny Rush over ten months to complete due to the challenge of scheduling sittings when Warne was in England.

The portrait will be on display in the Long Room this summer during the eagerly anticipated Ashes series.

Fanny Rush was born and grew up in London. The only painter in a family of eminent sculptors and writers, she developed her talent for painting while working as an art director in Brazil.

After winning an award for art direction at the Cannes Film Festival, she decided to concentrate on painting full-time, and returned to England to establish her own studio in 1998.

Warne is her first portrait of a cricketer but she has worked for the MCC before.

"From the moment I heard that MCC wanted to commission me to paint Shane Warne, a very strong image of how to portray him flashed into my mind," she said.

"I knew his reputation as a fearsome bowler, and I envisaged him in the portrait as if seen from a batsman's point of view, bearing down formidably and with supreme confidence.

Over the months that it took to complete the painting, I got to know him as a person, too; he is a delightful man, and I feel that I have also caught this aspect of him in the portrait."

The MCC Museum houses the most comprehensive and important collection of cricket memorabilia anywhere in the world.

The Club has been acquiring cricket artefacts since 1864 and, over 140 years on, continues to enhance its collection of historic and contemporary items.

"MCC has an unrivalled collection of paintings of cricket-related subjects and of great cricketers, past and present," said Lord Fellowes, Chairman of the MCC Arts and Library Sub-Committee, which is responsible for the Club's commissions and acquisitions.

"It is important that the collection is kept fresh and up-to-date.

"The contribution to cricket made by Shane Warne has been immense, and it is only right that he should be represented.

"Fanny Rush has done a wonderful job in capturing the spirit of both Shane Warne the cricketer, and Shane Warne the man.

"I am sure that this portrait will be much admired during the coming Ashes series, and in the future."