Victorian legspinner Alana King says she owes her career to Shane Warne, praising the great after sprinkling a bit of his magic to get Australia home in their Women's World Cup opener in New Zealand.
King made her first World Cup appearance against England on Saturday, coming into proceedings with the match delicately poised.
England were 2-128 at the halfway mark in Hamilton, tracking ahead of Australia's score, as they doggedly chased 311 for victory.
King emulated Warne to claim a superb first World Cup wicket, luring Tammy Beaumont out of her crease spinning the ball away from the in-form opener, who was stumped for 74.
"It was just a nice ball that came out of the hand. Hopefully he (Warne) was proud of that," King said.
"And it got one of the Poms out and that's even better."
King then bashed her black armband in tribute to Warne.
"That was an instinctive moment to be honest. Nothing was planned," she said.
The 26-year-old grew up in Clarinda in Melbourne's south-east, Warne's old stomping ground, and like many, grew up idolising him.
"He was a big inspiration to me ... getting to the MCG on Boxing Day as a kid to see Warney just take poles for fun," she said.
"He was the big reason I picked up legspin and stuck at it.
"But I didn't realise what I was getting myself into," she laughed. "Legspin is a pretty hard task."
King finished with 3-59 and was credited by skipper Meg Lanning as the match-turner.
Another Victorian won player of the match honours, Rachael Haynes who struck a superb 130, combining with Lanning for a 196-run stand.
Haynes, in her 69th ODI, heaped praise on King, in her fourth.
"It was just exceptional legspin bowling," the 35-year-old said.
Australia's squad woke up to the news of Warne's death on the morning of their match, gathering themselves in different ways.
Lanning said none of the World Cup squad "knew him super well" but players were still shocked.
"We just made sure that everybody had the support that they needed," she said.
"He was the best ever to play the game in terms of leg spin. He changed the game and moved it forward. He was a genius."
King said had an empty feeling after learning of Warne's passing, taking the time to read tributes and watch highlights on the morning of the match.
Her personal connection to Warne was brief. She enjoyed a couple of net sessions earlier in her career, well before her rise to the national team.
"I was probably just too starstruck to be honest that he was down the other end," she said.
"Those things I will remember for a long time."
King said she was proud to perform on a day honouring both Warne and fellow great Rod Marsh, who also died earlier in the week.
"We just knew if we put our best foot forward we'd be doing those boys upstairs pretty proud," she said.
"Warne was a big competitor. He never gave in and was always fighting until the end.
"I instilled a little bit of that. I will never give up when I'm bowling."
