AUSTRALIAN cricket legend Shane Warne, who died suddenly on Friday aged 52, will be honoured with a State funeral, after his family accepted an offer from the premier of his home State.
Warne — one of the greatest test cricketers of all time — was found unresponsive in his luxury villa at the Samujana resort in Thailand on Friday evening after failing to meet friends.
His death sparked a global outpouring of grief from prime ministers, rock stars and fellow players, an acknowledgement that the Melbourne native transcended his sport.
In his honour, the Great Southern Stand at the Melbourne Cricket Ground will be renamed the SK Warne Stand, the Victorian government has said.
Over the weekend, Warne’s fans flocked to his statue outside the cricket ground, laying flowers, cricket balls and even bottles of beer as tributes to the cricketer’s legacy. — Supersport
