Australian cricket allrounder Shane Watson believes he is about a week out from regaining full fitness after returning from a calf injury on Saturday and isn’t pushing yet for an international recall.
Watson, who hadn’t 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 game.
The 30-year-old opening batsman smacked 30 off 27 balls and finished with 0-17 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 Australian T20 and one-day teams, Haddin made just one off two balls for Eastern Suburbs.
Watson said the plan was to gradually increase his bowling workload and play for NSW in the Sheffield Shield match against WA 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 told reporters.
“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.”
He 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 didn’t 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 lineup, with Steve Smith (43 off 53) and Phil Jaques (33 off 42) also getting a start.
Haddin didn’t take the gloves for Easts, fielding primarily on the offside with NSW custodian Peter Nevill performing the keeping 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 legspinner Smith (2-37 off 10).