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Hampshire offer Watson UK return

County side put white-ball offer on the table for Aussie allrounder after Test retirement

County side Hampshire have approached Shane Watson about a return to England next winter.

Watson was dropped after the first Ashes Test on the Qantas tour of the British Isles in favour of younger allrounder Mitchell Marsh. He retired from first-class cricket after a series-ending calf injury picked up in the second ODI against England but has stated his desire to continue playing limited-overs cricket for Australia, New South Wales and the Sydney Thunder.

Watson previously played with Hampshire in 2004 and 2005 as the second overseas player alongside Shane Warne. He scored a century on his first-class debut for the county in 2004, and made his highest first-class score – an unbeaten 203 – with Hampshire in 2005.

Watch: Watson calls time on Test career

"He has often said he would like to return if the opportunity comes up," Hampshire director of cricket Giles White told BBC Radio Solent.

"It will depend on his availability more than anything, but initial contact has been made.

"I'm not sure how long things will take, but certainly there's a will there."

Watson took 3-37 for Hampshire to guide the county to England's domestic one-day cup trophy in 2005 in a team featuring Kevin Pietersen and fellow Australian Andy Bichel.

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Watson lifts the trophy for Hampshire with at Lord's // Getty

Watson has set his sights on playing in the World Twenty20 tournament in India next March and would also expect to feature in next year's edition of the Indian Premier League, although the future of his franchise, the Rajasthan Royals, remains clouded.

Hampshire are in danger of being relegated to the second division of the County Championship for next season, however White said Watson had been offered white-ball cricket only for the county.

"It's likely to depend on the structure of the competitions and the international fixtures next season, but we'll see how it goes," he said.

"I know it’s the right time to move on and still hopefully play the shorter formats of the game, one-dayers and T20s," the 34-year-old said.

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Watson hits out for Hampshire in 2005 // Getty

"I've been through a lot of different waves of emotion about what is right for myself, my family and most importantly the team as well.

"I don't have that real fight in me, especially for Test cricket, knowing the lengths physically that I'd have to go through, mentally and technically as well, to be at my best in Test cricket, so I just know it's the right time."

Watson played 59 Tests for Australia, scoring 3,731 runs, taking 75 wickets and holding 45 catches.

The allrounder left Test cricket as a 2013-14 Ashes winner, 2011 Test player of the year, two-time Allan Border Medal winner and became the 44th Test captain of Australia against India in Delhi in 2013.