Wests Illawarra product Phil Jaques has revealed his burning desire to score a century in his Australia Day homecoming.
Jaques, the first Wollongong-born cricketer to make a Test hundred, will play his maiden interstate game in the Illawarra when NSW meets South Australia at North Dalton Park.
The 11-Test opening batsman declared reaching three figures at one of his old stomping grounds would be the high point of a season during which he has been rebuilding his career.
"Would I like to score a century or the winning runs? All of the above would be great, I'd love to help us get a win and a bonus point," Jaques said.
"Getting a hundred would be the highlight of the summer for me, for sure."
Jaques endured a horror 2008-09 - he was dropped from the Test team, lost his Cricket Australia contract and had three operations on a debilitating back injury - but is primed to star in Tuesday's Ford Ranger Cup clash.
Known as "The Pro" for his dedication to training, Jaques is happy to be back on the field after his most recent operation last June.
"I was expecting to be on the sidelines until Christmas - any games are a bonus, a few more runs would be a bonus," he said.
"I am just happy to be back on my feet, last year was hard to come to terms with.
"Back operations are not the easiest things to go through and you wonder if you are even going to be able to live properly.
"I haven't had any trouble with it and I am excited just to be back playing."
Jaques was unsure of what position he would occupy in the powerful NSW batting line-up, but tipped tyros David Warner and Phillip Hughes to open the innings.
"I have been opening or batting at three. I'm not sure for this game with Kato (NSW skipper Simon Katich) coming back in," Jaques said.
"I have opened in one-day cricket and I like it, but the order might be switched around a bit."
Jaques is relishing the chance to play just minutes away from where he grew up after a corresponding clash in December 2007 was rained out.
"I'm really looking forward to the game, two years ago we were meant to play and when we didn't there was a lot of disappointed people, including myself," Jaques said.
"There's a lot of people here who have helped my career, even after I moved to Sydney. It's going to be really exciting to play here."
With Test opening combination Katich and Shane Watson dominating the opposition, Jaques proclaimed his focus was on performing for the Blues, for whom he has one century and fours 50s so far in 2009-10.
"I watch it (Tests) when it's on, they have done really well and have taken their opportunities," Jaques said.
"It's just a case of enjoying my cricket because I wasn't able to play for a while."
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