Melbourne, March 5 : The Great Southern Stand at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) will be renamed in honour of Australian great Shane Warne. The stand will be renamed the S.K. Warne stand after the greatest spinner died of a suspected heart attack in Thailand. He was 52. “I’ve just informed the Warne family that the Government will rename the Great Southern Stand at the MCG – the place he took his hat trick and 700th wicket – to honor Shane and his contribution to the game,” tweeted Daniel Andrews, Premier of Victoria. “The S.K. Warne Stand will be a permanent tribute to an amazing Victorian.” The family of the Australian cricket icon has been offered a state funeral. “Victoria has lost an icon. Australia has lost a legend. And the entire cricket world is mourning the loss of the King. Shane Warne didn’t just inspire a cricketing generation- he defined it,” said Andrews in a statement. “I have offered a state funeral to his family so Victorians can pay tribute to his legacy and contribution to our state, comm ty and country.” Warne made his Test debut in 1992 against India at the Sydney Cricket Ground, going on to become the most successful leg-spinner of all time. He played 145 Tests, finishing with 708 wickets that included 37 five-wicket hauls and 10 10-wicket match hauls. In 194 ODI appearances, Warne snared 293 scalps.