Shane Warne‘s state funeral at the MCG tonight will be a reminder of how the cricket legend was able to relate to people from all walks of life, according to his former captain Mark Taylor.
More than 50,000 people are expected at the famous ground, the stage on which Warne gave some of his most memorable performances.
From the flipper that deceived Richie Richardson in 1992, to the hat-trick against England in 1994 and his 700th Test wicket in 2006, Warne made the MCG his own.
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That journey will be completed tonight when the Great Southern Stand is renamed in his honour, an area of the ground where as a child he stood dreaming of one day representing his country.
“He was one of those guys who befriended the bloke down the road, but also the superstars of the world,” Taylor told Wide World of Sports.
“As we’ve seen in recent weeks, those superstars were just mates of Warnie’s, I don’t think he necessarily gravitated towards them, they were just like-minded, and they were as appreciative of Warnie as a friend, as he was of them.
“I think that’s what friendship is all about.”
Shane Warne’s state funeral will be live on 9GEM from 7pm AEDT tonight.
Among the superstars who will perform are global icons Elton John, Ed Sheeran and Chris Martin.
But Taylor pointed to the huge crowd as evidence of Warne’s impact on people from all walks of life.
“It shows how admired Shane Warne was,” he explained.
“He’s one of those guys where you hear lots of stories about him, some good, some not so good, but the overriding emotion is that he’s been an outstanding contributor to the game of cricket, and Australia in general.
“People resonate with him, he was the guy everyone could relate to.
“Some people said he was difficult to work out, I found him very simple to work. He was a guy who loved his sport, loved a good time, and that came through.
“Even the very small percentage of people who weren’t admirers of Warnie still kept an eye on what he was doing, and what he was up to.”
Taylor was at Warne’s private funeral for family and friends nearly two weeks ago, and said it was a sombre period for players from his era, with Warne’s death coming only 18 months after the death of another team-mate, Dean Jones, who was just 59.
“Absolutely, that’s very true, and all of us have felt that,” he noted.
“At the funeral there was Mark Waugh, Glenn McGrath, Merv Hughes, Allan Border, Brendon Julian, and it was great to catch up and have a beer, but we were all very sad on the day.
“Listening to the family say their goodbyes, it was as emotional as I’ve been for a long time, seeing Warnie’s coffin and the realisation that we’re not going to see or hear from him again.
“It was a poignant moment, and in a way I’m glad to have been there to say goodbye to him, so for me tonight is more about a celebration of his life.
“I’ve had the chance to say my goodbyes already, so tonight is more celebratory.”
Warne transition to the commentary box after his retirement was rarely dull, with the champion spinner never afraid to speak his mind.
“What people got from Warnie during his time in the commentary box was his opinion, and it wasn’t always what you expected, and it wasn’t always right, in my opinion,” Taylor remembered.
“But just like when he played, he was happy to let you know what he thought, and then listen to your opinion.
“That’s really important, and it’s something that I think doesn’t happen enough in these times, a lot of people feel that their opinion is the only opinion, but that’s one thing I really liked about Warnie, because there were times when we could agree to disagree.”
Warne’s untimely death meant he never had the chance to see fellow leg-spinner Mitchell Swepson make his Test debut.
Swepson was handed his baggy green just a week after Warne died, the first specialist leg-spinner picked for Australia in 13 years.
“I think Warnie’s touched not just Mitchell Swepson, but just about every slow bowler in the last 25 years,” Taylor explained.
“Whether they were Warne fans or not, I think he’s a big reason why spin bowling has become fashionable again.
“It’s not 100 per cent down to Warnie, but certainly he was a major reason. He made it fashionable, he made it cool, and guys like Mitchell Swepson have followed suit.
“It’s disappointing he didn’t get to see Swepson make his Test debut, but in a way that’s his legacy to the game that will continue for many years to come.”
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