Sri Lanka Cricket to pay tribute to Shane Warne ahead of 1st Test against Australia

Sri Lanka Cricket said that it wanted to recognise Shane Warne as a “true friend of Sri Lanka who came to the country’s aid during the 2004 Tsunami devastation”

Sri Lanka will pay tribute to late spin great Shane Warne when during the team's first Test against Australia in Galle which starts on June 29. Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) has said that everyone at the stadium will "stand to attention" before the start of the match in honour of the former Australian spinner, who died earlier this year at the age of 52 due to a suspected heart attack.

Warne had crossed 500 Test wickets in Galle.  (REUTERS)

SLC said that it is making the gesture to recognise Warne as a "true friend of Sri Lanka who came to the country’s aid during the 2004 Tsunami devastation by personally flying over and visiting affected areas and making generous donations especially to homeless cricketers families."

Galle was the venue where Warne, who retired with 708 Test wickets, became the first bowler in Test cricket history to take 500 wickets. Warne's tally was the highest for any bowler in Test history at the time before Sri Lanka great Muttiah Muralitharan surpassed him and eventually retired as the only bowler to take 800 wickets in the longest format of the game. Warne also took 293 ODI wickets in 194 matches.

The series will consist of two Test matches, both of which will be played at Galle, with the second match starting on July 8. Sri Lanka had earlier win the preceding ODI series 4-1, which is their first series win at home against Australia since 1992.