Australia all-rounder Shane Watson believes he is about a week out from regaining full fitness after returning from a calf injury on Saturday and is not pushing yet for an international recall.
Watson, who had not played since Australia's second Test win over South Africa in Johannesburg last November, made his Sydney grade debut for Sutherland against Eastern Suburbs at Waverley Oval in a one-day match.
The 30-year-old opening batsman smacked 30 off 27 balls and finished with 0 for 17 off six overs, but there was no joy for Test wicketkeeper Brad Haddin, who turned out for Easts.
Playing for the first time since being left out of the Australia Twenty20 and one-day teams, Haddin made just 1 off two balls for Eastern Suburbs.
Watson says the plan is to gradually increase his bowling workload and play for New South Wales in the Sheffield Shield match against Western Australia starting in Perth on Friday.
"It's been a very frustrating couple of months. It's something I love, doing so much, so I missed it a lot," Watson said.
"There's been a few false starts over the last month or so, so to be able to get through the game was the most important thing.
"I've been working pretty hard on my batting and making a few adjustments on my batting technique.
"In the end, I suppose I got more than I was hoping out of the day."
Watson was cautious when asked about a return to the Australian one-day side for the current tri-series.
Asked when he expected to be fully fit, Watson said: "Probably about another week or so, if everything continues to go well.
"If I'm able to get through a Shield game then and get some bowling into me in that Shield game, I feel like I will be ready to be able to play one-day cricket especially.
"But I'm not getting too far in front of myself.
"I know how important the next few days are to recover."
Watson appeared to bowl within himself and did not run any singles in his breezy batting cameo, blasting seven fours and a two. He was one of three Australian representatives in a powerful Sutherland batting line-up, with Steve Smith (43 off 53) and Phil Jaques (33 off 42) also getting a start.
Haddin did not take the gloves for Easts, fielding primarily on the offside with Blues custodian Peter Nevill performing the wicketkeeping duties.
Nevill, who is the leading first-class runscorer for the Blues this season and is averaging 56, scored an unbeaten 98 off 118 balls in his team's five-wicket win.
Coming in at first drop, Haddin skied a catch to cover off leg spinner Smith (2 for 37 off 10 overs).
AAP
Tags: cricket, sport, waverley-2024 First posted February 11, 2012 20:38:48
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