Late Shane Warne's national teammates Andrew Symonds, Mark Taylor, Ian Healy, Mark Waugh, Michael Clarke and Glenn McGrath and ex-England captain Michael Vaughan attended his private funeral in Melbourne.
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Australia great Shane Warne was given a private funeral in Melbourne on Sunday at St Kilda Football Club, an Australian Rules team that the late cricketer supported all his life. The invitation-only funeral was attended by his former national teammates Mark Taylor, Ian Healy, Mark Waugh, Michael Clarke, Andrew Symonds, Glenn McGrath and ex-England captain Michael Vaughan.
His three children Brooke, Jackson, and Summer along with local media personalities and his close-knit poker group were also present at the funeral where his coffin was given a lap of honour at St Kilda’s home ground as family members walked behind and the song ‘The Time of My Life’ from the movie ‘Dirty Dancing’ played on loudspeakers.
Tina Turner’s ‘Simply The Best’ was also played as the hearse left the ground.
“He brought together so many things,” his close friend and television presenter Eddie McGuire, who delivered a eulogy, told the Herald Sun newspaper outside the venue.
“The reason why he was so loved is because he was fallible, he was Superman.
“The magic part about Shane Warne was that he sprinkled his gold dust everywhere he went. He didn’t become a hermit, he brought his friends into everything in life,” McGuire added.
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Warne’s former partner and British actor Elizabeth Hurley, however, couldn’t make it to the funeral due to her film shooting schedule in place. The spin great passed away on March 4 but Hurley said that his going away has still not sunk in her heart.
“My heart aches that I can’t be in Australia tomorrow for Shane’s funeral,” Hurley wrote on Instagram late Saturday. “I was filming last night and, with the time jump, physically can’t get there.”
“It still hasn’t really sunk in that he’s gone,” Hurley added.
“It seems too cruel that all the people who loved him will never have another Lion hug, but our memories will live forever. RIP Lionheart, with love, your Luna.”
Warne will be given a state funeral after acceptance from his family at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MGC) on March 30. Fans will be allowed at the funeral while his friends and celebrity figures, including Coldplay frontman Chris Martin said that he wants to be involved.
“It will be an opportunity for Victorians to pay tribute to his contribution to his sport, to our state and the country,” Victorian Premier Dan Andrews was quoted as saying by bbc.com.
Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) will host a live streaming of the event, according to Andrews.
