Veteran Australian opener David Warner, who will feature in his farewell Test at Sydney on Wednesday, experienced what could be described as a bizarre incident. David Warner has requested the safe return of his Baggy Greens before his final Test after they were lost during transportation.
David Warner has made a last-ditch effort to retrieve his missing Baggy Green caps before his farewell Test against Pakistan in Sydney. In a video on Instagram, Warner pleaded for the return of his treasured caps, which went missing from his backpack during transit to Sydney. The caps were taken from his backpack, which also contained his daughters' presents. Warner described the Baggy Green as sentimental and something he would love to have back in his hands for his final Test match. If the backpack is returned, Warner has offered to provide a spare Baggy Green to the person who took it. He has asked for help from Cricket Australia or through his social media channels to locate the missing backpack.
If it cannot be detected then he will need to wear a new one in his 112th and final Test. The 37-year-old flew home to Sydney on December 30, the day after Australia secured a 79-run win at the MCG, leaving his Baggy Greens inside his Cricket Australia backpack.
The backpack was in turn placed inside a larger bag, which was flown from Melbourne to Sydney on December 31 with the rest of the team's luggage.
"Inside this backpack was my Baggy Greens," Warner said in a video posted to his social media on Tuesday afternoon.
"It's sentimental to me. It's something I'd love to have in my hands walking out there this week. If it's the backpack you wanted, I have a spare one here. You won't get into trouble.
"Please reach out to Cricket Australia or myself via my social media. I'm happy to give this to you if you return my Baggy Green."
He said that he had spoken to both Qantas, the airline that flew the Australian team's bags between cities, as well as the team's Southbank hotel in Melbourne, the Quay West.
"We've gone through CCTV footage, they've got some blind spots apparently," he said. "We've spoken to the Quay West hotel who we trust, they've gone through their cameras and no one has gone into our rooms."
In the caption on his Instagram post, Warner added: "@qantas have said they checked theInir cameras and have not seen anyone open our bags and take the backpack, however, they do have blind spots … I would be grateful if this were returned asap."
A Qantas Freight spokesperson told AAP the airline was assisting Warner in trying to find the bag, which had passed between several companies between hotels in Melbourne and Sydney.
"Our freight teams are continuing to search the terminals in Melbourne and Sydney and reviewing CCTV to try and locate the missing bag," they said.
"We appreciate the importance of this bag and we're doing everything we can to help find it."
Warner once misplaced his original baggy green ahead of the 2017 test tour of Bangladesh before it was eventually located by his wife Candice in a cupboard along with a captaincy blazer.
Cricket Australia CEO Nick Hockley has also released a statement requesting the return of the caps.
"I implore anyone with information about the location of Dave's bag and Baggy Green caps to come forward so he can proudly wear his cap for a final time at the SCG," Hockley said. "Thanks to everyone for their efforts to locate it."
– with AAP
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