ASHES TEST: Emotional Tribute Planned for Shane Warne at MCG as Son Reveals Family’s Heartbreak Four Years On
- Shane Warne’s legacy will be remembered throughout the Boxing Day Test at the MCG, where his Southern Stand is named in his honour
- Health stations will be set up around the ground to encourage fans to check their heart health, a feature introduced in Warne’s name
- Warne’s son Jackson has spoken out about his father’s enduring impact, saying “every single day I’m in this whirlwind or tornado of Dad”
The first Ashes Test at the MCG since Shane Warne’s untimely death is set to be an emotional tribute to the cricketing great, with his family and fellow players honouring his memory throughout the Boxing Day Test.
Warne’s son Jackson, who has been tirelessly promoting the Shane Warne Legacy, has spoken out about the enduring impact of his father’s death, saying “every single day I’m in this whirlwind or tornado of Dad”.
“It doesn’t really feel real, that it will be four years in March – it’s gone like ‘that’,” Jackson said, his voice cracking with emotion. “If we can just try and encourage as many people to look after their heart – a lot of people look after their brain and muscles and bones, but forget about the heart.”
Jackson also revealed that he had visited an exhibition of his father’s career at the Australian Sports Museum inside the MCG, saying “it almost seemed too good to be true, that was actually Dad’s career”.
Past greats such as Ricky Ponting, Michael Vaughan, and Ian Botham will also honour Warne at 3.50pm on each day of the game, referencing his Australian Test cap number and tipping their floppy hats in a tribute to the headwear that Warne preferred wearing in the field.
Fans are encouraged to join in the tribute, which will also see the Barmy Army singing a song for Warne in Bay 13. “For that now to be the Barmy Army, it’s going to be pretty cool,” Jackson said.
The Ashes series is set to be a thrilling contest, with fellow spin bowler Todd Murphy potentially returning to the Australian team for the Boxing Day Test. “He would be loving it… he’d love it to be 5-0,” Jackson said of the series.
As the cricketing world comes together to honour Warne’s memory, Jackson has urged fans to look after their heart health, saying “so many people still feel that shock”.
The family is doing well, nearly four years since Warne’s passing, with Jackson saying “we’re all as happy as we can be”.