Shane Warne: Sky Sports to pay tribute to Australian great during England’s first Test against New Zealand at Lord’s | Cricket News

Tributes will be paid to Shane Warne by former players and commentary colleagues; Sky Sports’ main commentary box at Lord’s to be renamed after leg-spin great; two-part documentary to be shown during first Test against New Zealand

Sky Sports will pay tribute to cricket legend Shane Warne throughout England’s first Test against New Zealand at Lord’s next week.

The spin-bowling great, who died in March 2022, will be remembered throughout the first Test by former players and the Sky Sports cricket team, with whom Warne spent a number of years working following his playing career.

During the first Test, Sky Sports viewers will be shown a two-part documentary entitled “Bowled Shane,” which tells the story of the ’05 and ’06/07 Ashes series. Warne was the main character throughout both dramatic series, cementing his reputation as one of the game’s greatest ever players.

In partnership with Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC), Sky Sports will also be commemorating its former colleague by renaming the main commentary box in the J.P. Morgan Media Centre at Lord’s after the former leg-spinner. The tribute will be unveiled on the morning of June 2 by another of Warne’s former Sky Sports Cricket colleagues Rob Key, now Managing Director of England Men’s Cricket.

Mark Taylor, the former Australian captain and Warne’s close friend, will also join Sky Sports’ coverage to discuss Warne’s impact on the game alongside Nasser Hussain, Michael Atherton, Mel Jones, Ian Ward, Simon Doull and Eoin Morgan.

Finally, to celebrate the cricketing great whose playing number was 23, there will be a minute’s applause on 23 overs.

Sky Sports Director of Cricket Bryan Henderson said “On the pitch, he was simply the greatest, while off it, he was a wonderful and loyal friend. No words can capture his contribution to the game, but his magic on the field as well as in the commentary box and in life itself will never be forgotten. We hope our tributes to him during this Test will remind those who witnessed him in action of his greatness as well as hopefully introduce young cricket fans to a cricketing legend.”

Guy Lavender, MCC Chief Executive & Secretary, said: “Shane Warne was a man who entertained us on the field and was passionate about improving the sport off it. He was an Honorary Life Member of MCC and we were fortunate to benefit from this directly through his work on our World Cricket committee and also as our Head Coach of London Spirit men’s team last summer. We are hugely supportive of Sky’s commemoration of Shane which I am sure will be a fitting tribute to a true legend of the game”.