Body of legendary cricket star Shane Warne arrives back in Australia

The body of legendary cricket star Shane Warne has arrived back in Australia from Thailand

The body of legendary cricketer Shane Warne has arrived back in Australia from Thailand today, Thursday, March 10. The 52-year-old national hero had been holidaying in the Thai island of Koh Samui, when he suffered a heart attack last Friday 4, just 24 hours after his arrival.

His coffin was unloaded from the aeroplane and draped with the Australian flag. It was subsequently flown on to Essendon Fields airport in his hometown of Melbourne ten hours later, after being placed in a private jet.

After an autopsy by Thai police, it was confirmed that the star died of natural causes. His friends said he had complained of chest pains in the hours prior to his death. He had also contracted coronavirus last year, and suffered from asthma.

A private funeral for just his family will take place, followed by what is expected to be a massive state funeral. This will take place on March 30, in the 100,000-seat Melbourne Cricket Ground stadium, for his fans to pay their final respects to one of Australian cricket’s biggest-ever names.

This iconic ground hosted both the first Test match and the first One-Day International, played between Australia and England, in 1877 and 1971 respectively. It is also the ground where, shortly before retiring, Warne secured his 70th Test wicket.

Shane Warne was born and raised in Melbourne and the venue where he made his Test debut, against India, in 1992.  Cricket fans will surely never forget the right-arm leg spinner becoming the first bowler to take an Ashes hat-trick for 91 years, back in 1994.

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