'If they want to boo me, boo me' - Warner looking forward to Lord's return with London Spirit

When David Warner popped up as London Spirit's second pick in Wednesday's men's Hundred draft, there would have been palpable elation from the competition's organisers.

Not only had they secured a cricketer of global repute, but a pantomime villain to boot. With The Hundred still yearning for tribalism going into its fifth season, Warner's Ashes antihero status brings some much-needed spice.

The 38-year old's £120,000 deal is somewhat overdue. He was initially signed by Southern Brave (£100,000) in the inaugural season before pulling out due to international commitments, then left undrafted in 2024. Now at Lord's - he had a previous dalliance there as Middlesex's overseas player for 2010's T20 Blast - Warner returns to the scene of one of the most controversial moments in Ashes history.

It was here on the final day of the second Test in 2023 that Jonny Bairstow was stumped by Alex Carey, creating a febrile atmosphere in the stands - and the Pavilion. Warner was one of the Australians berated in the Long Room by MCC members during the lunch break, leading to the expulsion of one and suspensions for two others.

AAP reported at the time that a member had tried to trip up the opening batter. And when an irate Bairstow confronted the Australia team in the players' dining room, asking, "are you guys happy with that?", Warner chipped in with a wry, "yeah, very!"

"We just have to wait until I step foot on that park first won't we?" Warner said on Thursday night when asked of the reception he expects in The Hundred, even from his own fans. "I'll have to walk past the Long Room first to get to the changing room!

"I'm really looking forward to it. I know how the English crowds are and that excites me as well, whether they're supporting me, the team or whoever it is. I just love being over there, playing in front of the crowd."

England supporters have long had Warner in their sights. In 2013, he drew their ire for an altercation with Joe Root in Birmingham Walkabout. Six years later, he and Steve Smith were barracked vociferously upon their return from bans following 2018's ball-tampering scandal. No doubt familiar jibes await both this summer, with Smith signed directly by Welsh Fire. Warner says he will take it all in his stride.

"I actually want them to come at Australians," Warner said. "I love that stuff. That's what gets me going. But I want them to support London Spirit. If they want to boo me, boo me, but don't boo the team or anything like that. Keep cheering for us."

He will reunite with former Australia head coach Justin Langer, now in charge at Spirit. Langer approached Warner during the Australian summer when he was in a rich vein of form for Sydney Thunder, leading them to the final of the Big Bash League, eventually finishing as the competition's second-highest runscorer. His Thunder head coach, Trevor Bayliss, preceded Langer at Spirit, and vouched for the organisation.

Other familiar faces at Lord's include new captain Kane Williamson, a close friend from their IPL seasons together at Sunrisers Hyderabad. Even Olly Stone, whom Warner played alongside once - for Gulf Giants during 2024's ILT20 - is cited as a factor following the England quick's retention.

Another is Daniel Worrall, a former international teammate. The South Australian seamer is a matter of weeks away from qualifying for England, with men's managing director Rob Key stating last week that the 33-year-old will be considered for selection this summer despite possessing three ODI caps for Australia.

Since joining Surrey in 2022 as a local player thanks to a British passport through his father, Worrall's form has merited international honours, with 139 first-class wickets at 21.17 helping the county to three successive County Championship titles.

However, there remains contention as to whether he should be considered. Warner, however, sees no issue, and likens Worrall's skill-sets to those of James Anderson.

"I was excited for him and pumped for him to go over to England," Warner said. "Once he left for England I think a lot of us opening batters were licking our lips going, 'thank god we don't have to face him'. Besides Jimmy Anderson swinging that pink ball around at Adelaide Oval, there hasn't been a guy that can get the ball to talk off the wicket there like Dan Worrall could.

"With a Dukes in his hand, I've seen what he's been able to do; he's been able to bend that ball crazy and he has been able to do that in the Hundred competition as well. So I was excited for him to make the move over there and give himself an opportunity to play international cricket.

"And I think that's what's important for players who are able to do that. If you're thinking you're not going to get that opportunity in one country and you're able to play and represent someone else, then by all means, go and do it. Because we talk about international cricket now and the longevity of it, it's important that we keep these people in the game and they still have aspirations to play international cricket.

"He's made great inroads over there and taken a lot of wickets. If he does put on that [England] jersey, I'll still be supporting Dan himself."

That sentiment would remain if Worrall were to find himself in the touring party for this winter's Ashes. Though Warner does cede local sentiment may differ, especially if he were to return to South Australia in England whites. "It would be interesting to see how the crowd receives him in Adelaide (the venue for the third Test) when he gets back to his home crowd," he said.

Now retired from international cricket, Warner's involvement in this winter's Ashes will be solely in the Fox Cricket commentary box. Having experienced England under Brendon McCullum and Ben Stokes during 2023's drawn series, in which Australia retained the urn, he is not convinced their approach will be effective down under.

"I don't know if Bazball is a myth now over there [in England], but I can't see it happening in Australia with the bounce and everything and the fields," Warner said.

"It would be pretty high risk to play that in Australia. Given that you want to wear the wickets out a little bit, get into day four, day five, it's probably not the way to go about it.

"But if that is the way they go about it, it's going to be high tempo, high energy and we'll all get a couple of days off at the back end I think."