Shane Warne stand inaugurated at Junction Oval, celebrating icon’s legacy

In a heartfelt ceremony, Cricket Victoria honored Shane Warne by renaming one of the Junction Oval’s grandstands after the legendary spinner. Formerly known as the Kevin Murray Stand, it now bears Warne’s name in tribute to his impact on Australian cricket. Kevin Murray, the original namesake and an Australian rules footballer, warmly welcomed the renaming. 

This tribute has been long in the making; Cricket Victoria and St. Kilda Cricket Club had discussed the idea even before Warne’s passing in 2022. While the Melbourne Cricket Ground named its southern stand after Warne at his state funeral, renaming the historic stand at Junction Oval took additional time.

Warne’s father, Keith Warne, daughters Summer and Brooke, and many of his former teammates from the Australian, Victorian, and St. Kilda cricket teams gathered to celebrate the occasion. Australian Test captain Pat Cummins, alongside Steve Smith and Glenn Maxwell, attended the ceremony just before playing in a One-Day Cup match on the ground.

Speaking on behalf of his late son, Keith Warne expressed pride in this tribute. “Today marks a very special and proud day for the Warne family. To have a stand named the Shane Warne stand here at the Junction Oval is a wonderful tribute to Shane, who we know would be honored to be chosen for such an accolade. Some of Shane's most enjoyable early cricketing years were whilst playing with his beloved St. Kilda," he shared.

Alongside the grandstand unveiling, Cricket Victoria introduced a Shane Warne exhibition within their administration and high-performance center. The exhibit, curated with memorabilia from Warne's career, was contributed by Keith Warne and is free for visitors.

The Junction Oval holds significant memories in Warne's cricketing journey, as it was the venue where he made his first-class debut for Victoria in 1991.