Legendary cricketer Shane Warne's family and friends pay final farewell in his hometown

Shane Warne’s family and friends attended a private funeral in Melbourne to pay their final farewell to the Australian cricketing great on Sunday.

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.

The private funeral service was held at St Kilda Football Club in Melbourne and two Saints scarves were laid over the wooden coffin as pallbearers, including Warne’s son Jackson, carried it from the service to a lap of honour around the Moorabbin Oval.

Warne was widely regarded as one of the top players



of all time. He died on March 4 while on vacation with friends on Samui Island in southern Thailand. An autopsy report said the 52-year-old Warne died of a suspected heart attack. McGuire hosted the funeral and delivered the eulogy.

His remains were repatriated from Bangkok, Thailand to Melbourne just over a week ago.

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

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