The children of cricket legend Shane Warne have delivered a poignant and public tribute to their late father during the iconic Boxing Day Ashes Test in Melbourne.
A Personal Tribute at the MCG
Brooke Warne, 28, and her brother Jackson, 26, took to social media on the second day of the Test match against England, dressed in some of their father's historic cricket gear. Brooke announced on Instagram that she was wearing one of the champion spin bowler's shirts from the 1998/1999 season. Jackson, meanwhile, sported Shane's green and gold shirt from the 1996/1997 season.
The siblings proudly posed together in front of the Shane Warne Stand at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, a structure renamed in honour of the cricketing great shortly after his tragic death. They shared the moment across TikTok and Instagram, where it was met with an outpouring of emotion from fans and family alike.
Simone Callahan, Shane's former partner and the mother of Brooke and Jackson, responded to her daughter's post with four love heart emojis. One follower commented, "Your dad would be so proud. Your parents raised phenomenal humans. Incredible, really." Another added, "So awesome to be able to do."
Continuing a Legacy of Health Awareness
The tribute extended beyond personal remembrance. Brooke and Jackson used their high-profile presence at the Test to promote the Shane Warne Legacy health initiative, which offers free health check-ups. The sudden death of their father from a massive heart attack in March 2022, aged just 52, has been a driving force behind the campaign.
Self-service health check stations were installed around the MCG, providing fans with insights into key health metrics. According to Cricket Australia, over 3,000 health checks had been conducted on the first day of the Boxing Day Test alone.
Speaking about the difficulty of attending cricket without their father, Brooke shared, "Cricket will never be the same for us. We go to an occasional game here and there but it's very hard for us to go. Usually, if we were going to the Boxing Day Test, we would be going with Dad." She added that continuing his legacy through health checks provided a sense of purpose, stating, "It's not really the same anymore, but we are told that we are having a positive effect with all of our health checks."
A Fitting Tribute to a Boxing Day Legend
The day held profound historical significance for the Warne family. Shane Warne took his first Test hat-trick and his 700th Test wicket in Boxing Day matches at the MCG against England. In a powerful echo of their father's iconic gestures, Brooke and Jackson were joined on the boundary line by Australian great Ricky Ponting and former England captain Michael Vaughan.
The quartet led the crowd in a tribute, removing their floppy white caps and bowing to the spectators, precisely as Warne had done during his final Test match at the Sydney Cricket Ground in the 2007 Ashes series.
In a TikTok video, Brooke shared a special detail, captioning it: "Love Ya Dad, miss you - love wearing one of Dad's Ashes Shirts each Boxing Day! Feels extra special." Through their heartfelt actions and dedicated advocacy, the children of the 'King of Spin' are ensuring his legacy continues to inspire both on and off the cricket field.
