The International Cricket Council has announced that former Australia spinner Shane Warne will be inducted into the ICC Cricket Hall of Fame on July 19, adding that the felicitation would take place during the tea interval of the second Ashes Test at Lord’s.

Warne becomes the 69th male member of the Hall of Fame, joining Brian Lara of the West Indies, England’s Enid Bakewell and former Australian team-mate Glenn McGrath in being recognized by the ICC and the living members of the Hall of Fame.

Lara and Bakewell were inducted last year at the LG ICC Awards in Colombo in September, and McGrath during the Sydney Test between Australia and Sri Lanka in January this year.

Warne represented Australia in 145 Tests between 1992 and 2007, claiming 708 Test wickets at an average of 25.41. He was the first cricketer to reach 700 Test scalps and incidentally is still the only Test player, to date, to have scored more runs without making a century.

He also played in 194 ODIs, claiming 293 wickets at an average of 25.73 and was part of the Australian side that won the ICC Cricket World Cup in 1999 at Lord’s against Pakistan alongside fellow Hall of Famers Glenn McGrath and Steve Waugh. His performance at the match saw him named Player of the Final after he concluded the game with match figures of 9-1-33-4.

Warne said of the induction: “I’m very honoured and proud to be announced as an inductee into the ICC Hall of Fame later this month and I’d like to thank the voting academy very much for even considering me.

“I’m looking forward to celebrating my induction with my friends and family in front of the crowd at Lord’s during the second Ashes Test.”

Courtesy: CRICKET YAHOO