Nearly five months after he last raised a bat in anger, Shane Watson on Sunday made his return to competitive cricket, although the presence of the Australian all-rounder was not enough to propel his club team to victory.
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While Michael Clarke's team is readying for this week's first Test against Pakistan in Dubai, Watson has his eye on the long summer ahead and his comeback from injury took another step with an appearance in a Sydney grade cricket Twenty20 triple header at Coogee Oval.
He featured in the second game of the afternoon, opening the batting for Sutherland in their pursuit of a target of 141 set by opponents St George, and on a slow wicket he scored 37 off 43 balls.
After being 3-60 at the halfway point, however, Sutherland ended up all out for 100 in the 19th over. Watson earlier took the field for Sutherland but did not bowl.
Meanwhile, Peter Nevill will captain NSW in their Matador Cup match against Tasmania at Blacktown International Sportspark on Monday after scans confirmed Moises Henriques tore a calf muscle while batting against Victoria on Friday.
Henriques is expected to miss up to four weeks, which will sideline him from the start of the Sheffield Shield season. He was replaced in the Blues squad by Penrith all-rounder Patrick Jackson, the reigning O'Reilly Medal winner as Sydney first-grade cricket player of the season.
Australian batsman Shaun Marsh also made a successful return to the field in Perth at the weekend after a long break following elbow surgery in July.
Marsh, who was dropped for Watson for Australia's third Test against South Africa in February after making a century and a pair in consecutive Tests, scored 87 runs playing for Fremantle in the Western Australian A-Grade district cricket competition.
with Brad Elborough
