AUS vs. PAK: Boxing Day Test honors Shane Warne with free cardiac testing

This year’s Boxing Day Test between Australia and Pakistan will feature a special homage to the renowned Australian leg-spinner Shane Warne. At the age of 52, Warne died suddenly in March 2022 from what was believed to be a heart attack.

In honor of Shane Warne, free cardiac examinations will be given all over the recognizable Melbourne Cricket Ground on days one through four. Fans will be urged to take the four-minute test at up to 23 medical-grade health stations that will be positioned across the venue.

Shane Warne Legacy (SWL) and Cricket Australia (CA) are collaborating to raise public awareness of heart health issues. When Australia played South Africa in the Boxing Day Test last year, the game was halted at 3:50 PM, a symbol of Warne’s Test cap number 350, as a special homage to him. On December 26, however, spectators are asked to wear floppy hats to the stadium this year. They will be invited to simultaneously tilt their headgear in remembrance of the Victorian icon at 3:50 PM.

Cricket Australia Chief Executive Nick Hockley stated, “We’re thrilled to collaborate with the Shane Warne Legacy on an initiative that will significantly raise awareness about the importance of heart health.”

“Shane is much mourned both in Australia and globally, and we are appreciative of the Warne family’s and the Shane Warne Legacy’s collaboration with us to help create a good impact in his memory. I urge everyone to participate in the Shane Warne Legacy Heart Tests at the NRMA Insurance Boxing Day Test and to always consult a medical practitioner for guidance on this and other health-related matters “added the speaker.

Chief Executive Helen Nolan of SWL expressed her happiness at working with CA and having the chance to honor Warne. She made reference to the potential significance of the four-minute exam for the participants.

“The Warne family as a whole and I find great meaning in our cooperation. It offers a unique venue for cricket fans and the general public to come together and pay tribute to Shane during one of his favorite weeks of the year—on the fields he frequently referred to with affection as his “office.” In addition to providing a location for the free “Shane Warne Legacy heart test,” our partnership with Cricket Australia allows the general public to gather, remember Shane, recognize the importance he had in each person’s life, and show our collective respect for him, according to Nolan.

“Everyone should “have a crack” and finish this quick screening and awareness test, Shane would have urged. Who knows, maybe it may save your life,” she said in closing.