Shane Warne given cricket honour on day of tributes at Boxing Day Test
- The late, great Shane Warne honoured with Australia’s men’s Test Player of the Year award to be renamed in his honour
- Warne himself won award once, in 2006 after a year that included a record 40 wickets in the famous 2005 Ashes series in England
Australia’s men’s Test Player of the Year award will be renamed in Shane Warne’s honour as tributes were paid to the late spin-king at the Boxing Day Test against South Africa.
Warne, considered by many as second in stature only to Donald Bradman in sports-mad Australia, died unexpectedly aged just 52 in March.
The Shane Warne Men’s Test Player of the Year award will be presented annually, second only to the prestigious Allan Border Medal for the most outstanding player across all formats.
“As one of Australia’s all-time greats, it is fitting we acknowledge Shane’s extraordinary contribution to Test cricket by naming this award in his honour in perpetuity,” Cricket Australia chief Nick Hockley said.
The announcement came on the opening day of the Boxing Day Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, Warne’s home venue where he achieved many memorable feats, including an Ashes hat-trick and his 700th Test wicket.