Written by Andrew Spence
Scientists have named an ancient volcanic landscape in Outback Australia after former Ashes star Shane Warne as the former cricketer prepares to celebrate his 50t birthday.
Researchers from the University of Adelaide and University of Aberdeen recently discovered the network of 100 volcanoes buried deep under layered rock in the South Australian outback.
The paper has just been published in the journal Gondwana Research, with the researchers admitting to piecing much of it together while watching England play a warm-up match at the Adelaide Oval in November 2017.
While Warne is reportedly nervous about turning 50 next month, his age pales in significance when compared with the 160-180 million year old volcanoes that have been named in his honour.
The Warnie Volcanic Province is in the Cooper-Eromanga Basins in the northeastern corner of South Australia and southwestern corner of Queensland, which has been the site of about 60 years of petroleum exploration and production.
Co-author Associate Professor Simon Holford, from the University of Adelaide’s Australian School of Petroleum, said the name recognised the former leg-spin bowler’s explosive talent.
“We wrote much of the paper during a visit to Adelaide by the Aberdeen researchers, when a fair chunk was discussed and written at Adelaide Oval during an England vs Cricket Australia XI match in November 2017,” Associate Professor Holford said.
“Inspired by the cricket, we thought Warnie a good name for this once fiery region.”
England won the tour match but went on to lose the Second Test at Adelaide Oval – the first ever day/night Ashes Test – a few weeks later.
The second test of the current Ashes Test Series between Australia and England begins tomorrow at Lord’s.
This article was originally published on The Lead.
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