Many legends, including Brian Lara, Mark Taylor, and Allan Border were in attendance, to pay their respects to the departed icon.
The cricketing fraternity said their final goodbyes to an unparalleled legend of the game in the form of Aussie legend Shane Warne, who passed away due to a suspected heart attack in Thailand on March 4, at the age of 52.
The sporting world was taken aback by the sudden demise of Warne, barely hours after he put out a tweet condoling the death of a fellow Australian legend and his own friend, Rod Marsh. Warne’s funeral was held in a private ceremony a few days ago at the St.Kilda football club and was attended by Glenn McGrath, Mark Waugh, Merv Hughes, and wicketkeeping great Ian Healy.
Fans from all over Australia and even around the world got a chance to bid farewell to the departed legend in a public event at the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground, a venue where Warne had many unforgettable moments, including an Ashes hat-trick and his 700th Test wicket. Warne was the first to reach the milestone of 700 Test match scalps, as he castled former English captain Andrew Strauss.
However, Wednesday’s event was not just about cricket, as several stars from different walks of life joined in live or via video on what was an emotional evening. Special mention was made of Warne’s philanthropic work, as the United Nations announced a Conservation Grant in his name to carry on the good work undertaken by Warne over the years.
Warne lived and breathed cricket, as was professed by several of his peers, not just his teammates but even some of his fiercest rivals, including Indian great Sachin Tendulkar and West Indian legend Brian Lara. Warne also had an eventful social life, sometimes far too extravagant as well, but his skills on the cricket field and his work for the game off the pitch was all that mattered.
Merv Hughes spoke fondly of his friend, calling him “one of the most loyal people” he had the fortune of knowing.
“As good as he was on the cricket field, he was five times better off it. One of the most loyal people you know. He did what he did because of who he is – I feel sorry for people who never met him.”
A cricket pitch was laid out as the centrepiece of the VIP section at the MCG, with a set of stumps at both ends of it. The fans respected the Warne family’s request to attend the event in cricket gear, while another of Warne’s passions, Aussie Rules football, was also well represented at the event.
Warne’s father Keith, was also at the event, and made an emotional address to the huge crowd, including a reference to one of Shane’s iconic lines, “I smoked, I drank, and I played a little cricket”.
Brian Lara was also in attendance and spoke at the event as well, as he recollected fond memories of his first series against Australia, where he faced Warne for the first time.
“We were in a panic from Melbourne to Sydney, thinking it was all over… that’s when we knew that we had met someone very, very special,”
he said.
Warne’s Australia captain Allan Border also spoke highly of the departed legend, saying that the leg-spinner had ‘revitalised’ the last couple of years of his captaincy, under which Australia won their first World Cup in 1987.
“Thank you for making my captaincy… it revitalised my captaincy towards the end of my time. I was lucky to have two years with Shane, and I’d just thank him for that.”
Border said when asked what he would say to Warne if he had the chance to have a final conversation.
Chants of “Warnie…. Warnie” filled the MCG as the cricketing fraternity rose for him for perhaps the last time.
