Farewell to an icon: More than 50,000 fans attended Shane Warne’s state funeral at the MCG on Wednesday
(Picture: AFP via Getty Images)Cricket greats including Sachin Tendulkar, Brian Lara, Allan Border and Nasser Hussain led the tributes as a memorial service bid farewell to Australian legend Shane Warne.
More than 50,000 fans joined celebrities, dignitaries, friends, rivals and team-mates at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Tuesday to honour Warne, who passed away at the age of just 52 after suffering a suspected heart attack while on holiday in Thailand earlier this month.
A private funeral ceremony had already taken place last week but members of the Warne family, including his three children Summer, Brooke and Jackson, were at the MCG to deliver powerful speeches.
“You drew memories in my mind I will never erase and you painted colours in my heart I will never replace,” a tearful Summer, 20, said during the most moving segment of the evening.
"You will always live forever inside my heart Dad, and I will continue your legacy. Forever my Dad, no matter where you are. May you now rest in eternal paradise, I love you so unconditionally much."
Former England captain Hussain described Warne as “the greatest cricketer that's ever played the game”, while Lara simply called him “The King”.
Border was Warne’s first Australia captain and recalled his emergence ahead of his Test debut in 1992.
"He was instantly likeable, that was a solid start,” Border said. "There was a little bit of cockiness about him, this young, fresh face with the peroxide blond hair and the stud earring and the rest of it that went with it. Instantly there was something there.”
Warne would go on to take 708 Test wickets across the course of his career, a record at the time of his retirement, though it has since been surpassed by by Sri Lankan spinner Muttiah Muralitharan.
Many of Warne’s greatest moments came at the MCG, including his 700th Test wicket and his 1994 Ashes hat-trick, and the ceremony closed with its famous Great Southern Stand being renamed in his honour.
"You just can't believe that the great man has left us, so it is surreal, but Shane would have wanted it like this,” Hussain said. “If there was one place he would want to be remembered, it is here.
"He was an unbelievable cricketer and bloke. He is so much more than the stats of 708 Test match wickets. He was an entertainer, centre stage at any venue. Bars emptied when Shane Warne came out to bowl.”
A visibly emotional Tendulkar was unable to attend the ceremony in person but sent a video message.
“He was always extremely competitive and did everything possible to disturb opposition to dismiss them but when someone batted well he was always the first person to walk up and congratulate you,” the former India batsman said. “That is how our friendship and respect for each other developed.
“Warney my friend, I will miss you big time. You’ll continue to live in my heart.”
Another of Victoria’s favourite sons, Merv Hughes, said “as good as he was on a cricket field he was five times better off it”, while Adam Gilchrist, Australian wicketkeeper for much of Warne’s career, added he hoped the memorial “puts a bit of a full stop on the grieving and we can really start enjoying that Shane Warne contributed to all our lives”.
Earlier, the ceremony began with a rendition of the Australian national anthem by singer Greta Bradman, granddaughter of the legendary Don Bradman, before Warne’s father, Keith, took the stage to deliver his son’s eulogy.
"Shane said of himself 'I smoked, I drank, and I played a little cricket’,” he said. "Mate, your mother and I can't imagine a life without you. You have been taken too soon and our hearts are broken. Thank you for all you did for us. And for being such a loving and caring son.
"Rest in peace. Love you, Mum and Dad.”
The event also featured remote musical performances from Elton John, Robbie Williams, Ed Sheeran and Coldplay’s Chris Martin, while the United Nations Development Programme announced the launch of the Shane Warne Conservation Grant to continue his environmental work.
