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AAP
AAP
Sport
Steve Larkin

Aussie sports codes to honour late Queen

Queen Elizabeth II with ex-Australian cricket star Adam Gilchrist during a State Reception in Perth. (Lincoln Baker/AAP PHOTOS) (AAP)

Australian sporting codes are expected to hold a minute's silence before games to pay their respects to late Queen Elizabeth II.

The NRL has confirmed a minute's silence will be held before finals matches on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

The AFL, cricket and soccer are expected to also pause before their respective games after the death of the 96-year-old monarch.

Australia and New Zealand cricketers are also likely to stop and honour the Queen before Sunday's one-day international in Cairns.

The International Cricket Council (ICC) cancelled a scheduled media opportunity in Adelaide on Friday because of the Queen's death.

Australian cricketer Travis Head and ex-Test paceman Jason Gillespie, now coach of South Australia and the BBL's Adelaide Strikers, were due to attend a media opprtunity with the ICC's T20 World Cup trophy.

"Due to the passing of Queen Elizabeth II, today's media appearance has been cancelled," the ICC said in a statement.

Football Australia is also expected to hold a minute's silence before Sunday's Australia Cup semi-final between Brisbane Roar and Sydney United.

Queen Elizabeth met hundreds of Australian sportspeople during her rein and was noably the subject of some mischievous Test cricketers.

Australian fast bowling legend Dennis Lillee, when meeting the Queen during the 1977 Centenary Test in Melbourne, greeted the monarch with a "g'day Queen" - and then asked for her autograph.

The Queen declined Lillee's request because of royal protocols but later sent the Australian a signed photograph of their meeting.

And during a 1981 Test match at Lord's, Australia's paceman Rodney Hogg met the monarch during a break in play.

One version of events has Hogg saying "nice legs for an old sheila" when the Queen was in ear-shot.

Another version has Hogg turning to teammate Geoff Lawson, digging him in the ribs, and pointing out the Queen's "pegs".

Hogg has confirmed, in general, the latter story.

"Oh no, I definitely didn't tell her myself, I would have been too scared for that," Hogg was reported as saying in 2011, some 30 years after the greeting.

"But I did give Henry (Lawson) a nudge and say that I thought she had a good set of pins.

"You've got to remember, she was a very attractive lady."

Some sporting events in Britain scheduled for Friday have been cancelled, including England's second day of play against South Africa in Test cricket.

Golf's PGA Championship at Wentworth in England was suspended on Thursday evening when news broke of the Queen's death, with no play to be held on Friday UK time.

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