Quantcast

Warner makes social media plea for missing Baggy Greens

Australia opener's treasured caps lost in transit on the eve of his farewell Test in Sydney

Aussies out to send Warner off in style with series whitewash

David Warner has pleaded for the safe return of his Baggy Greens ahead of his farewell Test after his treasured caps went missing in transit.

Warner posted a "last resort" appeal on the eve of the final NRMA Insurance Test against Pakistan in Sydney, explaining the caps went missing from his backpack after the Boxing Day Test in Melbourne.

The 111-Test opener had his two Baggy Greens in the bag; the one he received when he made his Test debut in December 2011, and a spare he was given while the original was being repaired. 

If it cannot be located, 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 clinched 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 really 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."

Warner said 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 absolutely trust, they've gone through their cameras and no one has gone into our rooms."

On the caption on his Instagram post, Warner added: "@qantas have said they checked their 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 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

NRMA Insurance Test series v Pakistan

First Test: Australia won by 360 runs

Second Test: Australia won by 79 runs

Third Test: January 3-7, SCG (10.30am AEDT)

Australia squad: Pat Cummins (c), Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Cameron Green, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Mitch Marsh, Steve Smith, Mitch Starc, David Warner

Pakistan squad: Shan Masood (c), Aamir Jamal, Abdullah Shafique, Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Faheem Ashraf, Hasan Ali, Imam-ul-Haq, Mir Hamza, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Saim Ayub, Salman Ali Agha, Sarfaraz Ahmed (wk), Saud Shakeel and Shaheen Shah Afridi