Shane Warne’s school Mentone Grammar names field in his honour

Shane Warne‘s former school Mentone Grammar has paid tribute to the legend by naming its main cricket ground in his honour, writes PAUL AMY.

Jason, Keith, Brooke and Jackson Warne at the unveiling of the newly named Shane Warne oval. Picture: Supplied

For years it had only a number.

Now it has a name.

The No.2 ground at the Mentone Grammar Playing Fields in Keysborough has become the Shane Warne Oval.

Eleven months to the day since the death of the legendary leg-spinner at the age of 52, Mentone Grammar named its main cricket ground after its former student.

Warne’s father, Keith, his children Jackson and Brooke, and his brother, Jason, attended the event last Saturday, as did Warne’s coach at the school, Barrie Irons, and his former teammates.

Warne captained the Mentone Grammar First XI in 1986-87, leading it to the premiership in the Associated Grammar Schools competition.

Shane Warne with Mentone Grammar coach Barrie Irons in his days at the school. Picture: Supplied

He took 32 wickets at 11.84 and hit 208 runs at 29.7, an all-round contribution that merited mention in the school year book.

“Shane Warne’s captaincy was to be one of the reasons for our successful season,’’ it said.

“He believed there was only one way to play the game and that was to attack. He led by example and was able to get the best out of the team. He was justly rewarded with the captaincy of the AGS First XI.’’

That season he bowled in tandem with left-arm spinner Wayne Fuller, who topped the competition averages with 16 wickets at 8.12.

Fuller was among the speakers at the naming of the oval.

Another former teammate, Ravi Krishnan, tossed the coin before Mentone Grammar’s match against Camberwell Grammar.

Shane Warne’s Mentone Grammar teammate Ravi Krishnan tossed the coin before the match. Picture: Supplied

Mentone Grammar said Warne was a “hero of the game’’ and in its centenary year it was “our honour’’ to name the oval after a “true legend’’.

The speeches, it said, carried a common theme: “Shane was generous, well-mannered, had time for everybody and he just wanted to win.’’

Mentone Grammar coach Peter Buchanan said it was a great tribute for Warne, whom he met at St Kilda Cricket Club in the late 1980s.

He said he remained staggered at Warne’s rise in cricket.

“I remember when he was a bubbly, chubby, little blonde-headed kid,’’ he said.

Keith Warne spoke at the Shane Warne Oval unveiling. Picture: Supplied

“Typical leggie. He’d bowl two or three balls that were unplayable. He thought he was a batsman. We all knew he could bat a bit.

“But he ended up getting blokes out and he’d go from the fourths net to thirds net and he ended up in the firsts nets. That’s how it all started really.

“Still hard to believe he’s gone. So very, very sad.’’

Warne, who took 708 Test wickets from 145 Test matches, died on March 4 last year.

Mentone Grammar won last Saturday’s match, making 6-220 and holding Camberwell Grammar to 9-203.

Originally published as Shane Warne’s school Mentone Grammar names field in his honour