A POST-MORTEM examination on Australian cricketer Shane Warne concluded he died of natural causes, police in Thailand said.

The doctor’s opinion has been conveyed to the star’s family and the Australian embassy, a statement said.

It said the family did not have any doubt that the 52-year-old, widely considered one of the sport’s greatest spin bowlers, died of natural causes.

A senior police officer explained the findings at a news conference held after the statement was issued.

“There are no reports of missing items. There were no signs of a struggle,” said Asst Police Commissioner General Gen Surachate Hakparn.

“The director of the hospital said from the autopsy that he died of natural causes.

“His father had said that he (Warne) had suffered tightness in his chest and planned to have a medical check-up when he returned from his holiday.

“The cause of death is natural, not a murder.”

Warne was found unresponsive in his hotel room on the Thai resort island of Samui on Friday and could not be revived at a nearby hospital.

His body was transferred on yesterday to the Thai mainland for a post-mortem at a state hospital.

Preliminary evaluations from Thai authorities said Warne died from a heart attack.

“His very early and untimely death has been a terrible shock and a very sad event for his family but also for those in the cricketing world,” Australian ambassador to Thailand Allan McKinnon said at the press conference, which was held on the island.

Police said they would conclude the post-mortem report and send it to the prosecutor’s office as soon as possible, a standard procedure in cases of unexpected death.

Warne’s family released a statement on Monday saying the day of his death was for them the beginning of “a never-ending nightmare”.

“Looking to a future without Shane is inconceivable. Hopefully the mountain of happy memories we all have will help us cope with our ongoing grief,” his father and mother, Keith and Brigitte, wrote.

They said the family has accepted the offer of a state funeral and is grateful that a section of the Melbourne Cricket Ground will be renamed the S.K. Warne Stand in honour of their son.

“As everyone knows, Shane was an extremely proud Victorian and Australian,” they said.

Warne’s son, Jackson, wrote: “I don’t think anything is ever going to fill the void you have left in my heart. You were truly the best father and mate anyone could’ve asked for.”

There was no immediate information about when Warne’s body would be sent home to Australia.