Melbourne: Around one lakh people are expected to perform the last rites of legendary spinner Shane Warne with state honors in the next two or three weeks at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. After this, a public condolence meeting will be organized. Warne’s manager James Erskine did not confirm whether the funeral would take place at the MCG but indicated that no other stadium would be appropriate given the legend’s stature.
He told ‘The Age’, ‘Where else? According to the ‘Herald Sun’, the funeral will take place in two or three weeks and all arrangements will be made at the MCG. Warne’s family is waiting for his body to be brought here from Thailand. Warne died of a heart attack on Friday on the island of Koh Samui in Thailand.
The Age quoted sources as saying Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Victoria’s Prime Minister Daniel Andrews also wanted to attend and are in talks with Warne’s family on a date. MCG was Warne’s favorite ground. He scored a hat-trick in the Boxing Day Test against England at the same ground in 1994.
Warne’s statue has been erected outside the MCG ground and his fans have been inundated here since his death. Some are offering flowers, some cans of beer, some packets of cigarettes or meat pie. It has also been decided to name the Southern Stand of MCG as SK Warne Stand. On the day of Warne’s death, former Australia wicketkeeper Rodney Marsh also passed away. The Government of Western Australia has also decided to perform his last rites with state honors.
