Shane Warne: Melbourne Cricket Ground to host public memorial service for Australian great

Image source, Getty Images

Image caption, Warne's statue at the Melbourne Cricket Ground has become a site for fans' tributes

The 100,000-seater Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) will host a state memorial service for legendary Australian leg-spinner Shane Warne on 30 March.

Warne, 52, died of a suspected heart attack in Thailand on Friday.

The MCG has become a site for fans' tributes to Warne, with flowers, beer and photographs left in remembrance.

"There's nowhere in the world more appropriate to farewell Warnie than the 'G,"

Tickets to the service will be available to the public and it will be livestreamed for those unable to attend in person.

The event has been organised after Warne's family took up Andrews' offer of a state funeral, an occasion to honour those of national significance.

Image source, Getty Images

Image caption, Beers have featured prominently in fans' tributes

Warne, who took 708 Test wickets, the second most of all time, was born and raised in Melbourne and represented Victoria domestically.

It has already been announced that one of the MCG's stands will be renamed the SK Warne Stand in tribute to him.

The stadium was the scene of some of the most memorable moments in Warne's career including a hat-trick against England in 1994 and his 700th Test wicket against the same opposition 12 years later.