Melbourne Cricket Ground to host Shane Warne’s state memorial on March 30
- Planet Sport writer
- 9 March 2022
Details regarding Shane Warne’s funeral have been revealed with a state memorial service set to be held at the former Australia spinner’s beloved Melbourne Cricket Ground.
Warne died last Friday following a suspected heart attack at the age of 52. The player has a rich history at the MCG, including a memorable Ashes hat-trick in 1994 and his 700th Test wicket which came in the 2006 Boxing Day Test.
This proved to be his penultimate international Test outing as he bowed out following Australia's 5-0 demolition of England during the 2006/07 series.
Australian MP and Premier of Victoria, Daniel Andrews, confirmed that the state funeral would take place at the 100,000-seater MCG.
He wrote on Twitter: "There's nowhere in the world more appropriate to farewell Warnie than the 'G.
"Victorians will be able to pay tribute to Shane and his contribution [to] our state, and his sport, at a memorial service at the MCG on the evening of March 30."
Flowers have been laid at Warne's MCG statue, as well as photographs and beer cans. Meanwhile, the stadium's Great Southern Stand will be renamed in the player's honour and will be known as the SK Warne Stand.
Tributes and eulogies have continued to flood in since the announcement of Warne's death.
The player finished a glittering career with 708 Test wickets, which was at the time a world record but has since been surpassed by rival Muttiah Muralitharan.
Warne also claimed 293 one-day international dismissals and was instrumental in Australia's 1999 World Cup triumph, taking four wickets in both the semi-final against South Africa and final versus Pakistan.
