Shane Warne‘s memory and legacy will loom large over the first Ashes Test at the MCG since his untimely death.
So much of Warne’s outstanding cricket career was forged at the ground – the Southern Stand is now named in his honour – and he will be remembered throughout the Boxing Day Test.
Health stations around the MCG will be available for fans to check their heart health, now a feature of the game thanks to the Shane Warne Legacy.
Past greats such as Ricky Ponting, Michael Vaughan and Ian Botham will also honour Warne at 3.50pm on each day of the game, referencing his Australian Test cap number.
They will tip their floppy hats, in a tribute to the headwear that Warne preferred wearing in the field.
Fans are also encouraged to join in.
Australian Test cricket stars will tip their hats like Shane Warne used to, to honour the late spin king
Warne was a proud Victorian and took a hat-trick and his 700th Test wicket at the iconic MCG
Warne took his first Test hat-trick and his 700th Test wicket in Boxing Day matches at the MCG against England.
His son Jackson fronted the media on Wednesday morning outside the ground, in front of the statue that honours the leg-spinning great.
‘I feel like every single day I’m in this whirlwind or tornado of Dad, everywhere I go, it’s just ‘Dad, Dad, Dad’,’ Jackson said.
‘But when I come to events like Boxing Day … any activations for the Shane Warne Legacy, it just reminds me how many people love Dad – that’s why the numbers are so high.
‘So many people still feel that shock. It doesn’t really feel real, that it will be four years in March = it’s gone like ‘that’.
‘If we can just try and encourage as many people to look after their heart — a lot of people look after their brain and muscles and bones, but forget about the heart.’
Warne tragically died in 2002 and his legacy has been taken up by his children, who are urging Australians to have regular heart health checks
Jackson also remembered the 1999 one-day game at the MCG when England captain Alec Stewart called on Warne to calm down unruly Bay 13 fans.
‘For that now to be the Barmy Army (in Bay 13), it’s going to be pretty cool. I do know they’re going to be singing a song for Dad as well,’ he said.
Shane Warne died on 4 March 2022 while staying at a private villa on the Thai island of Koh Samui.
He was 52 years old at the time of his death.
Warne was found unresponsive in his room after friends became concerned when he failed to respond to calls, prompting staff to check on him.
Emergency services were contacted, but he was pronounced dead at the scene.
Thai police stated there were no signs of assault or suspicious circumstances at the villa.
Early police briefings indicated Warne was believed to have suffered a heart attack, based on initial medical assessments.
Warne played 145 Test matches for Australia between 1992 and 2007 and is the second-highest wicket take of all time
Following an autopsy, Thai authorities confirmed the cause of death as natural causes, noting that Warne had a history of asthma and had reported chest discomfort in the days leading up to his death.
Warne played 145 Test matches for Australia between 1992 and 2007, finishing his career with 708 Test wickets, the most by any bowler at the time.
He was a leg-spin bowler and is widely regarded as one of the most influential cricketers in the history of the game.
Warne took 37 five-wicket hauls and 10 ten-wicket matches in Tests, reshaping the role of spin bowling in modern cricket.
He made his Test debut against India in Sydney in 1992 and announced himself on the world stage during the 1993 Ashes tour of England.
The Melbourne Cricket Ground held special significance for Warne, where he played many of his most memorable matches.
He took 319 Test wickets at the MCG, the most by any player at a single ground.
Warne often described the MCG as his favourite place to play and spoke publicly about the connection he felt with the venue.
Following his death in March 2022, Cricket Australia and the Melbourne Cricket Club moved to honour his legacy at the ground.
The Great Southern Stand at the MCG was officially renamed the Shane Warne Stand later in 2022.
The stand was formally unveiled during the Boxing Day Test on December 26, 2022, in front of a packed MCG crowd.
