Australian cricket great Shane Warne has halted production of gin at a distillery he co-owns to make medical-grade hand sanitiser for hospitals in these "challenging times".

The spin legend, who played 145 Tests, responded to Prime Minister Scott Morrison's plea for companies to help wherever they can during the spiralling coronavirus crisis.

"This is a challenging time for Australians and we all need to do what we can to help our healthcare system combat this disease and save lives," Warne said on his Instagram page.

"I am happy SevenZeroEight has the ability to make this shift and encourage others to do the same."

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