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Sydney: Banned Australian batsmen Steve Smith and David Warner are expected to return to Sydney first-grade cricket for their respective clubs' opening fixtures on September 22.
Smith plays for Sutherland, who host Mosman in their first Premier Cricket fixture, while Warner represents Randwick-Petersham, who will face St. George, according to a report on Cricket Australia's website (www.cricket.com.au).
An enticing showdown between former Australia captain Smith and vice-captain Warner could take place on Nov. 10, when Sutherland and Randwick-Petersham face off in a One-day match at an undecided venue.
The duo, along with opener Cameron Bancroft, were handed lengthy bans by Cricket Australia (CA) following a ball-tampering scandal during the South Africa Test series in March.
Following the ban, the trio have played in various domestic competitions, with Smith scoring 41 on his debut for the Barbados Tridents in the T20 Caribbean Premier League competition last Sunday. The 29-year-old also regained the World No. 1 Test batting ranking earlier this week despite being out of action for Australia since March. (Reuters)
