Jackson Warne has paid tribute to his late father and legendary spin bowler Shane Warne during the daily 3.50pm ritual at the MCG to mark his Australian Test number.
As a raucous MCG crowd chanted his father’s name (Warnie) on repeat, Warne Jr reflected on the occasion and what his dad would have made of it all at his home ground in Melbourne.
“It’s unbelievable and to have the 3.50pm (tribute) every day in honour of dad to show what Test number he was is unbelievable,” Warne said on Fox Cricket.
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“If you see this crowd this is dad’s favourite crowd. Bay 13 these are the most passionate Australian cricket fans and to hear them sing and cheering dad’s name I think he would be very happy with.”
Fox Cricket’s Mark Howard asked what the MCG crowd honouring his father means to the family and what it woulf mean to the man himself.
“It is approaching 3.50pm now and everyone is tipping their hats to the great Shane Warne around the MCG,” Mark Howard said on Fox Cricket.
“It is extraordinary scenes mate. It must fill you with joy. It is happening all around the MCG now.
“The effect your father has had on so many people still stuns me to be honest.”
“It does and just to show that nearly two years on people still want to honour him and cheer his name,” Warne replied.
“I think he would be up there somewhere listening and watching because there is just no way he would miss this.
“I can still feel him saying, good they are still honouring me. I have got the statue. I have got the stand. They are still cheering Warnie.
“His legacy still lives on through the public and through everyone cheering his name.”
Warne revealed how his family has coped with the outpouring of emotion since his tragic passing in 2022 at the age of 52 and what his father would hope for his loved ones he left behind.
“I will always see Shane Warne as my dad,” Warne said.
“I never looked at him as Shane Warne and the emotions of course it has been a rollercoaster these last 18 months.
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“But I know he would want us to be happy. There was time for us to be sad and that was last year.
“Now we just need to celebrate his life. Honour him and make him happy and make him proud.”
The Shane Warne legacy has aimed at spreading awareness for heart health by conducting heart tests during the MCG Test and Warne Jr provided a stunning live update on their bid to reach a key milestone.
“We have been here for the Shane Warne legacy and the heart tests,” Howard said.
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“You were trying to achieve 23,000 during the Test match, obviously Shane’s number. How is it all going?”
“I’m pretty sure the live count at the moment is 100 or 200 off 23,000,” Warne replied.
“When I was walking through the race it was at 22,800.
“So while we are talking and at 3.50pm it might have hit 23,000 and I have got a feeling it did.
“And if it hit the 23,000 during 3.50pm it just shows he is still living on and he is saving lives while doing it.”
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