- Nasima Akter
Australia and South Africa Players Will Salute Shane Warne with Floppy Hats
In the upcoming Boxing Day Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, the Australia and South Africa players will be wearing floppy hats during the national anthems of the game in tribute to the late Shane Warne.
The second test of the series will be the first at Warne's home ground since the Australian died in Thailand in March.
Shane Warne is known as one of the greatest cricketers of all time. Some of his career highlights include his Ashes hat trick in 1994 and his 700th Test wicket in 2006.
When the man passed at age 52, a memorial service for Warne was held at the MCG in March, where tens of thousands attended in remembrance of the cricketing genius and maverick entertainer.
According to Cricket Australia chief executive Nick Hockley, “His place as a legend of Australian and world sport is assured. Whilst we continue to mourn his passing, it is fitting that we honor Shane at his beloved Boxing Day Test at the MCG.”
In addition to wearing floppy hats, both teams will walk past Warne’s floppy hat and a ball, which will be placed on a plinth before the first ball is bowled.
For the duration of the game, the outfield will also have Warne’s Test cap number 350 on it. There will also be a graphic of the bowler, and a highlights package of his career will show on the stadium’s big screen starting from 3:50 p.m. on day one.
So far, Australia has taken a 1-0 lead in the three-match series after beating South Africa in the first test in Brisbane on Sunday.
