SHANE WATSON plans to continue the next stage of his comeback by playing in the Sheffield Shield match starting in Perth on Friday, after he made his long-awaited return to cricket in yesterday's one-day grade match between Sutherland and Eastern Suburbs at Waverley Oval.
Sutherland lost by five wickets, but all eyes were on Watson who scored 30 off 27 deliveries - the 36 minute-long innings included seven boundaries - before bowling a tidy six-over spell of 0-17.
''The plan is if I got through today, which I have and is nice, was to play the Shield game in Perth,'' Watson said last night.
''In the end I'm just looking forward to playing cricket.''
Watson, who had been sidelined with a calf problem since Australia's second Test win during last November's tour of South Africa, couldn't contain his delight at being back.
''I have been waiting quite a while for this moment, actually and I've been dreaming about a few of those shots I played,'' he said of his whirlwind knock.
''Unfortunately it wasn't for long enough. It was nice to spend some time in the middle and get out and play, it's been a very frustrating couple of months.''
The all-rounder, who came on as Sutherland's second change bowler, was also happy with his spell, which was punctuated by a fierce thunder and lightning storm that swept through the Eastern Suburbs and caused a two-hour delay.
''[It felt] pretty good [bowling]. It took a little while for me to get into it and get things going okay,'' he said.
''In the end it was a very good run just to get through it with no issues. There's no issues.
''The plan over the next couple of weeks is to gradually build up my opener/bowling workload and let my body adjust to what I'm doing.''
Watson said there were some complications which stemmed from his calf problem that delayed his return.
''There's been a lot of different things,'' he said of his rehabilitation.
''It's been a few different injections to take the tension and aggravation out of my nervous system, that's been one thing ... my calf has probably been healed for the last couple of weeks but it was my nerve side of things that kept arcing up.
''I've been doing a bit of running technique stuff which is also very important; the same sort of thing my pilates and doing all the other things that worked so well last time I had an issue along these lines a few years ago.''
The subplot to the match was that of Easts' Australian wicketkeeper Brad Haddin. He, too, made his return to the game after being rested by Cricket Australia to allow Victorian Matthew Wade the opportunity to play in, at least, the first few T20 and limited-over matches.
Haddin relinquished the gloves yesterday for Peter Nevill to wear and watched on as his NSW understudy took two catches.
Haddin, who seemed to itch for his chance to bat, was given his shot not long after the rain delay. However, after he scored a single off the first delivery he faced his innings lasted only one more ball when he skied Steve Smith's offering to mid-off. Sutherland's NSW under 19 representative Kerrod White took it safely.
Nevill, who is NSW's leading runscorer this summer with an average of 56, scored 98 not out from 118 deliveries.
Former Test opener Phil Jaques scored 33 in Sutherland's total of 206 all out.
Eastern Suburbs (5-199 off 45.5 overs) won the match on the Duckworth Lewis method.
Meanwhile, Test discard Phil Hughes's woeful run with the bat continued when he could only manage 14 after opening the batting for Western Suburbs against Campbelldown-Camden. The rain-affected match ended in a draw.
Rookie Test paceman Trent Copeland had a much more fruitful outing when he turned out for St George against Manly at Manly Oval.
Copeland bagged 2-20 off his seven overs before top-scoring with 29, after St George was wobbling at 5-51, to help his side chase down Manly's modest total of 112. Victorian quick James Pattinson made a cautious comeback from a leg injury he sustained during the second Test against India last month.
Playing for Dandenong against Essendon, Pattinson didn't bowl but contributed one run with the bat after coming in at No.5.
Dandenong didn't need to call on Pattinson's express pace, but still won the match outright.
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