The 'summer of David Warner' is poised to attain new heights as the retiring Test opener is expected to arrive by helicopter, touching down on the SCG outfield before his return to the Big Bash League.
Amidst much retirement celebration during the Sydney Test last week, Warner's brisk second-innings performance contributed to the hosts' victory in his final appearance in the red-ball format for Australia, concluding a tally of 112 matches.
However, the 37-year-old will once again grace the spotlight on Friday at the same venue, where he is scheduled to land in a helicopter to face the Sydney Sixers.
The initial plan had been to use Allianz Stadium situated adjacent to the cricket ground, but that option was dismissed. Currently, it is anticipated that he will land on the outfield near the location where the "Thanks Dave" logo was applied during his farewell Test.
Subject to weather conditions, his expected arrival time is around 5 pm (Sydney Time). This event has the potential to attract a full-capacity audience, following his attendance at a wedding in the Hunter Valley, followed by a rapid departure to reach Cessnock airport.
Warner is set to participate in the team's last three regular-season games before departing for the United Arab Emirates, where he will join the Dubai Capitals in the ILT20. Despite this, it might not be the last sighting of Warner this summer, as Cricket Australia anticipates his return from Dubai to play in the upcoming T20I series against West Indies next month.
The matches in Hobart, Adelaide, and Perth between February 9 and 13 will mark Warner's final internationals on Australian soil. Last week, the 37-year-old declared his immediate retirement from one-day cricket, confirming that the T20 World Cup in the Caribbean in June would be his international swansong.
Steve Smith, Warner's successor at the top of the Test batting order against West Indies, is also set to make a brief appearance in the BBL for the Sixers on Friday. However, Englishman Tom Curran will be absent, concluding his BBL stint with the Sixers prematurely due to a knee injury.
Curran will return home this week to assess the extent of the damage and will miss the final two regular-season games. Additionally, he was already slated to sit out the BBL finals due to commitments in the ILT20 with the Desert Vipers, although the status of that campaign is now uncertain.
This injury marks a disappointing end to the BBL season for the 28-year-old, who faced a four-match ban for intimidating fourth umpire Muhammad Qureshi by running through the crease and narrowly avoiding the official after being instructed to stop. Despite an unsuccessful appeal against the sanction, Curran issued a public apology to the umpire.
- David Warner