Wednesday, 9 March 2022

Shane Warne

Mr ROWSWELL (Sandringham) (19:19): (6263) My adjournment matter is for the Premier, and the action that I seek is for the Premier to ask representatives of the East Sandringham Cricket Club, Sandringham Primary School and Mentone Grammar—a cricket club and schools within my electoral district—to participate in the state funeral of the late and great Shane Warne.

Shane Warne was a Bayside boy through and through. He attended Sandringham Primary School and Hampton High and then was the recipient of a sport scholarship to Mentone Grammar from year 10. His parents, Brigitte and Keith, still live in Black Rock today.

His cricket career started at the RG Chisholm Reserve in Duncan Street, Sandringham, when in 1978 he played for the East Sandringham Cricket Club. He returned to the ground many times, played in a junior premiership team there and even donated a beer fridge to that club.

Six years ago he returned to Chisholm reserve to play a match against Bentleigh ANA Cricket Club. He said at the time:

1978 was the first time down here as a nine-year-old, so it’s nice to be back at East Sandy, that’s for sure …

…

Whatever [East Sandringham] need me to do, I’m happy to do—if they need me to bowl a bit, I’ll bowl a bit …

Bayside, my electorate and my community, was Warnie’s home. He lived there, he studied there and he mastered his cricket craft there also. That is why I have asked the Premier to ask representatives of the East Sandringham Cricket Club, Sandringham Primary School and Mentone Grammar to participate in the state funeral of Shane Warne. As the local MP representing the area where this club and these schools are located, I would be pleased to work with the Premier and his department to facilitate this invitation, and I believe it would be a fitting inclusion to his state funeral. Finally, I look forward to contributing to Shane Warne’s condolence motion in this chamber when the opportunity arises.