Warner flew in from his brother’s wedding in the Hunter Valley and arrived at the ground just before 5pm. He landed on the outfield close to where the “Thanks Dave” logo was painted during his farewell Test.
The fixture, which will feature Steven Smith for Sydney Sixers, is a sellout.
“I’ve done my utmost best to get down here and hopefully put some runs on the board,” Warner told Channel 7. “I might look like a bit of a goose if I don’t get any runs but it’s my contribution to not just the BBL but Australian cricket. I want to be out here. I want to entertain. I want to try and help our team win the next three games.”
Sean Abbott of Sixers joked the day before: “He is a bit Hollywood, isn’t he, that’s very Davey. I got the Lime bike in today and I’ll be doing the same tomorrow night and riding out the gate as Davey lands.
“I’m glad they are making it happen because think everyone in the country who is a fan of cricket wants to see David Warner in the BBL and I’m really looking forward to coming up against him. One of the best players in the world and has been for a long time.”
Ahead of last season, Warner signed a big-money two-year deal with Thunder as Cricket Australia made a huge push to get international stars back into the tournament. He has indicated his desire to return next season although will fit appearances around his commentary work on the India Test series.
The game against Sixers is set to be one of three appearances Warner will make for Thunder this season following his Test retirement. The club only have a slim chance of reaching the knockouts but Warner would have been unavailable for those as he will head to the ILT20 in the UAE.
