This was published 1 year ago
‘Miss you mate’: Remembering Shane Warne, a year on
By Jon Pierik
Shane Warne has been remembered, a year on from his shock passing which still has family and friends stunned he is no longer with them.
The cricketing great and fan favourite died of a suspected heart attack in a Thailand hotel room a year ago aged 52.
Gone but never forgotten: Shane Warne was ever the showman, and continues to be missed.Credit: Getty Images
His memory, however, lives on, not the least through the renaming of the Great Southern Stand to the Shane Warne Stand at his beloved MCG, where the fabled leg-spinner also has a sculpture in his honour. The main oval at Mentone Grammar, his alma mater, is also named in honour of the man whose on-and-off-field life became the stuff of legend.
Warne’s children, Brooke, Jackson and Summer were at the MCG on Thursday night where British pop star Ed Sheeran paid tribute to Warne, his great friend, with his song The A-Team in front of a 100,000-strong crowd.
″Being in the MCG tonight and not having my friend Shane Warne here to watch this ... I know this venue was really, really special to him,” Sheeran told the crowd, dedicating the song to “Shane and his kids”.
Brooke posted the song to her Instagram, saying: “Love you Ed and miss you Dad.”
On Saturday, Jackson shared a video on Instagram, saying: “1 year ago today. Miss you mate, love Jacko.” His sister Brooke responded: “Love you and Dad is so proud of you.”
James Erskine, Warne’s long-time manager, said he and the family planned to have a quiet day of reflection.
“I am going to take the day to reflect on all the good things Shane did,” he said.
Warne claimed 708 Test wickets, behind only Sri Lankan Muttiah Muralitharan, with 195 of them in Ashes matches.
Jason Warne has plans to pop open bottle number 518 of the 708 of his brother’s SW23 collection on Saturday in honour a man who, away from the headlines, did much for charity, without seeking attention.
Fox Cricket will replay Warne’s greatest moments on Saturday, coming in a week when many of his former teammates will reflect on The King and another fallen teammate, Andrew Symonds, at a flood relief match in Lismore next week, led by Adam Gilchrist.
Allan Border, who played alongside Dennis Lillee and a young Glenn McGrath, said upon Warne’s death that he was the best Australian bowler of all time. He also said Warne transformed his captaincy.
“He’s on that (Bradman) level. Sir Donald Bradman was a batsman, he’s our best batsman,” Border said.
Pop star Ed Sheeran dedicated a song to Shane Warne’s memory at his concert at the MCG on Thursday night.
“But who’s our best bowler? That starts an interesting debate: Lillee and McGrath, but Warne’s got to be our best bowler ever. When Shane Warne was in the Australian cricket team, Australia wins Test matches. It was the same with Bradman.”
Fans were encouraged to honour Warne at the Boxing Day Test against South Africa by donning a floppy, wide-brimmed hat, and zinc, in the mould of the charismatic former Test vice-captain.
Warne’s great friend Eddie McGuire said those close to Warne were still adjusting to life without the man who often was the life of the party.
“In many ways, Warney came in and out of your life, because he was overseas, or doing something. He would be in town ... there would be a moment of sunshine in your life, and the phone rings and you knew it was going to be something,” McGuire said on Friday.
“It was hilarious, entertaining, or the biggest story of the year. You didn’t know what was coming, but you knew it wasn’t going to be boring. He was supportive. He was just a good, genuine friend.
“For me, at times this year, things would come on television, or social media ... it would remind me of how much fun he provided.”
McGuire said Warne’s death had prompted more people to have their hearts checked, which had been a good thing.
It was revealed through Supreme Court documents last month that the bulk of his $20.7 million estate has been given to his children. He left 31 per cent each of his fortune to Jackson, Brooke and Summer. The remainder was divided between his brother, Jason, who was given two per cent of his wealth, and his niece Tyla and nephew Sebastian, who got two-and-a-half per cent each.
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