Australia to hold state funeral for Shane Warne

Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison on Saturday announced Shane Warne will receive a state funeral, while the cricket board decided to rename a stand at the MCG in his honour as the country mourned the loss of one of its greatest sportspersons. Warne, one of the all-time greats of the game, died at the age of 52 due to a suspected heart attack in Thailand on Friday.

Morrison said Australians were "bewildered" by a "sad and sudden" loss of Warne and the state funeral would be organised by federal and Victorian governments, Cricket Australia and the family of "one of our greatest cricketers of all time". "This will be done in consultation with the Warne family," he said, promising to "ensure we honour Shane's passing and memory."

The Great Southern Stand at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) will also be renamed in honour of Warne with Victoria's minister for tourism and sport, Martin Pakula, making the announcement on Saturday morning after consulting with Victoria premier Daniel Andrews, MCC Trust chairman Steve Bracks and MCC CEO Stuart Fox.

"We will be renaming the Great Southern Stand the SK Warne stand and we'll be doing that as soon as we possibly can," Pakula said.

"I can think of no finer tribute to the greatest cricketer this state has produced than to rename the stand the SK Warne stand and no matter whatever happens to that stand in the future, it will remain the SK Warne stand in perpetuity because his legend will live in perpetuity."

Warne had taken his 700th Test wicket at the MCG and there is already a statue of the legend outside the ground. As a tribute to Warne, people gathered around his statue and offered flowers, cricket balls, beers, pies and cigarettes in tribute to his flamboyant lifestyle and cricketing genius.

Cricket Victoria is also planning to potentially rename a stand at the Junction Oval in honour of Warne.