Shane Watson begins comeback from long injury spell
The Australian has not played since the Indian Premier League in May
Sydney: Injury-prone Australian all-rounder Shane Watson said Monday he will make his return from injury in a Sydney club cricket match this weekend.
Watson, 33, has not played since the Indian Premier League in May after being ruled out of Australia's tours of Zimbabwe and the United Arab Emirates with complications from stepping on a ball during training.
Originally it was an ankle injury which sidelined Watson for the one-day tri-series in Zimbabwe. Then related calf soreness kept him out of Australia's current internationals against Pakistan in the UAE.
Watson said he was on the way back to full fitness and plans to play in a Twenty20 game with his Sutherland club on Sunday.
"If everything goes well this week I should be available to play a game on Sunday for my club team," he said.
"I'm very excited to be back playing. It's the biggest break I've had in three or four years so I'm really itching to get back.
"It's been a pretty slow process coming back after standing on the ball (in August)."
Looking ahead to 12 months of cricket starting with the Tests against India and the World Cup, Watson says he feels mentally and physically ready.
"(The break) has been really refreshing," he said.
"The break I had in the lead-up to the Zimbabwe tour was exactly what I needed. A time to sit back and absorb everything that's happened over the past 18 months. A lot had happened.
"It's been a great break and given me a lot of time to work on other fitness and strengths which I'm going to need, and I've worked on a few things with my batting as well."