The first match of the 2018-19 season saw St George face Randwick Petersham at Coogee Oval in Sydney, pinning Bathurst local Copeland against his friend and suspended NSW team mate.

This match set the scene for the return to Australian cricket for Warner, who is currently serving a 12-month suspension for his involvement in the ball tampering scandal that happened in South Africa earlier this year.

Copeland and Warner were part of Australian cricket squad that toured Sri Lanka in 2011, in which Copeland made his test debut, while Warner played in the Twenty20 internationals.

They both also helped NSW to Sheffield Shield success, each playing pivotal roles in the premiership winning 2013-14 season for the Blues.

The match saw St George bat first, making 277 for the fall of six wickets from their innings.

Copeland was left unbeaten on eight runs from eight balls faced.

The Bathurst local then opened the bowling alongside current Australian opening bowler Josh Hazelwood for St George, who is returning to cricket after injury woes.

Warner however overcame the strong bowling line up to lead his team to victory, making an unbeaten 155, surpassing St George’s total on the final ball of the game.

Copeland took one wicket from his nine overs, failing to get the best of his NSW counterpart, in an underwhelming start to the season for the former Test seamer.

Despite the defeat, Copeland will be aiming for a successful 2018-19 season as part of the NSW Blues squad for both the Sheffield Shield and the JLT One-Day Cup competitions.

NSW’s open fixture of the new Sheffield Shield season is against South Australia, to be played from October 16 to 19 at Adelaide Oval. 

St George’s next match is away against Hawkesbury at Owen Earle Oval in Richmond, a two-day match that will be played on September 29 and October 6.