Cricket Australia to rename Men's Test Player of the Year award in honour of late Shane Warne

Just ahead of the Boxing Day Test between Australia and South Africa at the iconic MCG, Cricket Australia (CA) and Australian Cricket Association (ACA) in a joint-statement announced that Australia’s Men’s Test Player of the Year award will now be named in honour of the late Shane Warne. Just before the start of the play on Monday, both teams paid tribute to Warne, who passed away in March early this year due to a cardiac arrest.

Each year at CA’s Awards ceremony, Australia’s Test Player of the Year award is handed out while Allan Border medal for the best men’s international cricketer across formats alongside Belinda Clark medal for winners in women’s game are also awarded.

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In remembrance of Shane Warne, players from both teams wore white floppy hats during their national anthems while fans were also encouraged to wear the same with zinc cream in tribute to the legendary cricketer.

Jackson, Share Warne’s son, who was also present there, told Fox Cricket, "The happiness outweighs the sadness tenfold. To see all the zinc cream on everyone's faces, to see everyone with the floppy hats is unbelievable. To be also in front of the greatest man ever - in front of the Shane Warne stand - is just awesome."

Meanwhile, since Warne’s death, this is for the first time that a Test was played in-front of a Shane Warne stand at the MCG. Before the anthems were played, a highlight package of his career was also played on the big screen. Besides this, Warne’s name and his Australian Test cap number – 350 is also painted on the outfield for this match.

During day 1, at 3:50 PM – to match his number – the match was briefly paused to celebrate Warne’s life. The crowd raised their floppy hats and even chanted, ‘Warnie, Warnie.’