Private funeral held for cricketing legend Shane Warne

Shane Warne’s family and friends have attended a private funeral in his hometown of Melbourne to pay their final respects to the cricketing legend.

Warne’s three children, parents and friends – including retired Test captains Mark Taylor and Allan Border and former England skipper Michael Vaughan – were among about 80 guests at the service on Sunday.

Warne, widely regarded as one of the top players of all time, died on March 4 while on holiday with friends on Samui Island in southern Thailand.

A post-mortem examination found the 52-year-old had died of a suspected heart attack.

His body was repatriated from Bangkok to Melbourne just over a week ago.

A state memorial at Melbourne Cricket Ground – the scene of many of Warne’s legendary bowling moments including a hat-trick against England in 1994 and his 700th Test wicket on Boxing Day in 2006 – will take place on March 30 and will be open to the public.

The ground’s Great Southern Stand will also be renamed in his honour.