Watch: MCG pays touching tribute to Shane Warne while hosting its first Test after spin legend's death

The Boxing Day Test is the first that the MCG is hosting since Shane Warne's death in March this year.

The Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) on Monday paid tribute to home hero and spin great Shane Warne during the Boxing Day Test between Australia and South Africa. Play stopped at 3.50pm local time as players and fans gave a minute's applause while a photo of Warne was displayed on the stadium's big screen.

Spectators stand during a tribute to late Australian cricketers Shane (AP)

The Boxing Day Test is the first to be played at Warne's home ground since he died aged 52 in Thailand in March. Warne's Test cap number 350 was also painted square of the wicket for the duration of the Test match, while the both Australian and South African players all donned floppy hats, something Warne preferred wearing, during the national anthems.

Cricket Australia had said earlier that day one of the Test on December 26 would acknowledge "the significance of the MCG in his career and life", with Warne's floppy hat and a ball featured on a plinth on the teams' path to the ceremony. Warne had plenty of highlights at the MCG including his Ashes hat-trick in 1994 and his 700th wicket at the ground 12 years later.

Warne represented Australia in 145 Tests - the third most-capped Australia cricketer to have worn the Baggy Green behind Ricky Ponting and Allan Border - and 194 ODI and finished his career with 1001 wickets. In Tests, with 708 wickets, he is the second-leading wicket-taker of all time behind Sri Lanka's Muttiah Muralitharan.

Australia finished Day 1 with the upper hand. All-rounder Cameron Green's maiden Test five-wicket haul helped them skittle South Africa out for just 189 runs. While they then lost Usman Khawaja, David Warner and Marnus Labuschagne held on till the end of day's play and Australia were 45/1.