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Larrikin Warnie makes appearance at Ascot

Shane Warne. Photo: Getty Images
Shane Warne. Photo: Getty Images

Shane Warne is back. No, he has not accepted an SOS from Australia's Ashes squad, that's not what we mean at all.

The good old Warnie from his beer drinking, cricketing days resurfaced briefly at Royal Ascot over the weekend.

These pictures will likely infuriate some who will bandy about calls of 'another drunk Aussie at the races having had too much to drink'.

Shane Warne. Photo: Getty Images
Shane Warne. Photo: Getty Images

But it's more likely that two generations of cricket fans will rejoice at the images of Warnie getting stuck in, like he used to when he was the best cricketer on the planet.

Perhaps even more so at this moment with the Aussie's floundering in England, staring down the face of an Ashes whitewash, these images may remind those cricket fans of better times, of greener pastures, of the smug smiles worn around offices when talking to English colleagues in the halcyon days of Australian cricket.

Shane Warne. Photo: Getty Images
Shane Warne. Photo: Getty Images

Back then Warnie wore a paunch, demanded baked beans only when touring India, was often pictured with a cigarette hanging from his mouth, loved a beer, his teeth a far less blinding shade of white.

Since then however he has reinvented himself.

He is obviously far healthier but he has lost much of his larrikin ways. Perhaps it is the calming influence of his fiance, model Elizabeth Hurley.

Shane Warne and Elizabeth Hurley. Photo: Getty Images
Shane Warne and Elizabeth Hurley. Photo: Getty Images

Many people however miss the old Warnie.

He made a brief appearance races. Brief but bright.

It took just a couple of drinks for Warne to loosen up.

He was seen trying to wrap his mouth around entire drinks, following it up with a grope of Hurley.

Shane Warne and Elizabeth Hurley. Photo: Getty Images
Shane Warne and Elizabeth Hurley. Photo: Getty Images

They shared a couple of passionate embraces, a couple more cigarettes and in general put on a performance for punters.

It is rare these days to see Warnie cut loose but if it gives Aussie fans a small, sweet reminder of past glories it might just be worth it.

Shane Warne and Elizabeth Hurley. Photo: Getty Images
Shane Warne and Elizabeth Hurley. Photo: Getty Images

Warnie certainly's isn't the first Aussie to come acropper at the races. Take a look at the carnage that unfolded at last year's Spring Carnival: