Ferguson set for Matador Cup return

South Australia star Callum Ferguson is expecting to be fit for the Redbacks' opening match of the 2016 Matador One-Day Cup after making a strong recovery from his latest knee reconstruction.

Ferguson, who was sidelined in the lead-up to his campaign with the Melbourne Renegades in the KFC Big Bash, after injuring his troublesome knee in a practice match.

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The result was a torn ACL in his left knee, which necessitated a third reconstruction, putting him out of action for the remainder of the summer.

"I knew pretty well straight away, having been through it before playing for Australia six years ago," Ferguson told SACA TV in May. "It was a pretty similar feeling.

"With the season going so well with the Redbacks, and I felt like I was playing pretty good cricket at the time, it was really disappointing."

But the 31-year-old has put that disappointment behind him as he targets another big season with SA, who kicked on to make the Sheffield Shield final last summer, going down to Victoria.

"That's the plan, for me to play the first Matador Cup game," Ferguson told News Ltd. "I was playing practice games after about 10 months last time.

"Plus, the surgeon was really happy with how the operation went and all the follow-up, so that gives me confidence that I’ll be ready to go."

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Ferguson has been in superb form prior to his injury, racking up 478 runs in five Shield matches before the BBL break, averaging 53.11.

He had hit a new career-best 213 against Tasmania just a fortnight before his season was ended, and averaged 46.85 in the Matador Cup.

With Redbacks coach Jamie Siddons delivering on his promise to blood new talent, and with 22-year-old Travis Head the state's captain, the experience of Ferguson could be a crucial addition to the side next Shield season, as they look to break a 21-year title drought.

"It was quite emotional, riding a lot of highs and lows emotionally," Ferguson said of last summer's Shield final – the Redbacks' first appearance in the big dance since the victorious summer of 1995-96.

"It was bittersweet at times, and really tough watching when we were going through difficult periods of the game, really difficult to watch as the game was slipping away and Victoria were take control, you just felt helpless.

"But certainly it was very exciting and great to watch the young guys come in and do so well.

"It bodes well for the future."