The king of the MCG, Shane Warne, will have an enduring presence at the Boxing Day Test with the legacy named in his honour offering free heart tests at the famous stadium he called his “office”.
Cricket Australia and the Shane Warne Legacy have come together to pay tribute to the legendary legspinner by raising awareness about heart health.
Warne’s son, Jackson, said it was fitting there would be 23 medical grade health stations around the MCG for this year’s Test between Australia and Pakistan.
Warne wore the number 23 on the back of shirt with distinction during 194 one-day internationals for Australia.
He died, aged 52, after suffering a heart attack while holidaying in Thailand last year.
Warne’s long-time personal assistant Helen Nolan, who is now chief executive of the Shane Warne Legacy, became emotional when speaking out the impact of the heart tests.
“I was lucky enough to spend the day with Shane before he departed for Thailand and he was on top of the world,” Nolan said at the MCG on Tuesday.
“(He had) absolutely no idea what was about to unfold, so it’s (heart health) actually a silent killer.
“There’s sometimes no second chance, but this test could give you a second chance.”
Jackson said the MCG, which his father called his “office”, would be able to celebrate the iconic Australian’s life.
“How cool is it going to be when people can go around and say ‘Shane Warne saved my life’ and that’s all because of a free heart tests,” Jackson said.
“There’s been lots of signs knowing that dad’s still here with us.
“He’ll be up there somewhere watching going like ‘well done, thank you everyone’.
The test will take just four minutes and provides an indication of some heart and other health risk factors.
Oliver Caffrey
(Australian Associated Press)
