Boxing Day Test: Special tributes planned for Shane Warne at MCG

Shane Warne will be honoured in a series of tributes at the Boxing Day Test — the first to be played at his beloved MCG since his shock death.

Fans will be encouraged to don floppy caps and white zinc as a tribute to Shane Warne. Picture: Getty

Cricket fans will pause to pay their respects to Shane Warne in a series of special tributes to be staged at next week’s Boxing Day Test.

Spectators and players will honour the Victorian sporting legend at the first Test to be played at his beloved MCG since his shock death in Thailand this year.

Fans will be encouraged to don floppy caps and smear white zinc on their cheek, as the “sheik of tweak” loved to do as he terrorised opposition teams at the home of Australian sport.

Australian and South African teams will pay their respects to Warne during the national anthem, also wearing wide brimmed hats at the ceremony acknowledging the significance of the MCG in his career and life.

Fans will be encouraged to don floppy caps and white zinc as a tribute to Warne. Picture: Getty

And the crowd will be asked to rise to its feet at 3.50pm on the opening day of the Test – in a symbolic nod to Warne’s status as the 350th Aussie to wear the famous Baggy Green cap.

Aussie Test captain Pat Cummins said the national team would pay its own respects to one of the nation’s greatest sporting figures, as it takes to the field before the newly renamed Shane Warne Stand for the first time.

“Warnie was a cricketer who only comes along once in a century,” he said.

“We all grew up watching and idolising him.

“The game was never the same after Warnie so it will be a great honour to pay tribute to him at the Boxing Day Test.”

Warne’s own floppy hat and a ball will sit on a plinth on the teams’ path to the ceremony and his Test cap number 350 will be painted square of the wicket for the duration of the Test.

A graphic of Warne will be displayed on the big screen at 3.50pm and highlights of his outstanding career played across the MCG’s screens and on broadcast.

The Boxing Day crowd will honour Warne with a series of special tributes. Picture: Getty

Cricket Australia chief executive Nick Hockley said Warne would be remembered for “the greatness of his cricketing achievements, his charisma and his infectious enthusiasm for the game”.

“His place as a legend of Australian and world sport is assured,” he said.

“Whilst we continue to mourn his passing, it is fitting that we honour Shane at his beloved Boxing Day Test at the MCG.”

He said Warne became recognisable “not only through his genius and mastery of the art of leg spin, but also his floppy hat and zinc”.

“So we encourage fans to remember Shane by wearing their own floppy hat and zinc to day one of the Boxing Day Test,” he said.

“I know I speak for the whole cricket community in saying that our thoughts continue to be with Shane’s family and friends and particularly his children Brooke, Jackson and Summer.”