Legend Shane Warne farewelled at private funeral

• Former fiancee Hurley says her “heart aches” that she was not able to attend Shane Warne's funeral.
• Among mourners were Warne’s three children Brooke, Jackson, and Summer.
• Fellow cricketers, local media personalities and his close-knit poker group also attend funeral.

MELBOURNE: Australian cricket superstar Shane Warne was farewelled at a private funeral on Sunday by family and friends, as former fiancee Elizabeth Hurley said her “heart aches” that she was not able to attend.

The legendary leg spinner’s body was found at a luxury resort in Thailand on March 4, with his death from a suspected heart attack aged just 52 provoking shock and grief around the world from prime ministers, rock stars and fellow players.

An autopsy revealed Warne died of natural causes, with a private jet last week flying him home to his native Melbourne.

He was remembered Sunday in an invitation-only funeral at St Kilda Football Club, an Australian Rules team he supported all his life.

Among the mourners were Warne’s three children Brooke, Jackson, and Summer along with fellow cricketers, local media personalities and his close-knit poker group.

Australia teammates at the service included Mark Taylor, Ian Healy, Mark Waugh, Michael Clarke and Glenn McGrath while ex-England captain Michael Vaughan was also seen arriving.

‘RIP Lionheart’

Warne’s former partner, the British actress Hurley, said she was unable to make the celebration of a larger-than-life character who transcended his sport.

“My heart aches that I can’t be in Australia tomorrow for Shane’s funeral,” Hurley wrote on Instagram late Saturday. “I was filming last night and, with the time jump, physically can’t get there.”

She accompanied her message with pictures of the couple celebrating their engagement in Sri Lanka.

They became a couple after Warne split with the mother of his children, Simone Callahan, but they parted ways in late 2013.

“It still hasn’t really sunk in that he’s gone,” Hurley added.

The public will be able to pay tribute to Warne at a state memorial at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on March 30 where thousands of people are expected to attend.

A stand at the famous cricket ground is to be named after Warne, who is entrenched in Australia’s sporting pantheon — in the eyes of many second only to Bradman.

Credited with reviving the art of leg-spin, Warne took 708 Test wickets as part of a dominant Australian Test team in the 1990s and 2000s before becoming a respected commentator.