Watson still hopeful of limited-overs glory

Shane Watson's Test career may be over but he still has a burning desire to represent Australia in one-day and Twenty20 cricket.

Watson drew the curtain on his time in red-ball cricket last month, conceding he no longer had the fight to push through the physical and technical obstacles he needed to overcome to force his way back into the Test side.

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But the allrounder insists he still has a lot to offer at international level.

The 34-year-old missed the opening match of the Matador BBQs One Day Cup as he continued his recovery from a calf injury, a problem that has and will prevent him from bowling during the domestic one-day tournament.

He hopes to resume bowling in the nets next month, when his former Test teammates will be taking on New Zealand, as part of a six-week preparation for his first serious plunge into the KFC Big Bash League this summer.

Watson will use his time with the Sydney Thunder as a springboard towards what he hopes will be a return to Australian colours for limited-overs matches against India in January, the ODI series against the Black Caps a month later and the World T20 in India in March and April.

"I just want to get back to being at my best," he said. "That desire still burns inside me and I know that I've still got some good cricket left in me.

"Having a bit of time to be able to freshen up in November and then get back into a bit of preparation time leading into the Big Bash is going to be exactly what I need."

Watson was part of Australia's ODI squad on the recent tour of England, effectively the first series of their preparation for their World Cup title defence in four years’ time.

The allrounder, who will turn 38 during the 2019 World Cup in the UK, showed signs of returning to his best against Victoria on Sunday after an indifferent start to the Matador Cup in which he failed to pass 25 in four innings.

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The right-hander struck five boundaries and a six in a patient innings of 64, his dismissal part of a collapse of 7-64 in NSW's first loss of the tournament.

"I was just trying to spend some time in the middle and the guys who were coming in were hitting the ball very nicely," Watson said.

"I just wanted to get some rhythm in my batting and I was getting there.

"It would have been nice to have scored a bit quicker and bat on a bit longer, which would have made the chase a little bit easier.

"I had plenty of motivation to get out there, get into my innings and get through those 10s and 20s and be able to get on with my innings."

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Watson will return to Sydney grade cricket with club side Sutherland next month as he builds towards the Thunder's season opener against the Sydney Sixers on December 17.

This summer will be Watson's first full stint in the domestic T20 competition having played his one and only BBL match for Brisbane Heat back in 2012.

And he says he's excited to play in a rejuvenated Thunder side led by veterans Mike Hussey and Jacques Kallis.

"I haven't got much cricket in the lead-up to the Big Bash so at the moment it’s about getting over my calf injury and trying to score some runs ... to be able to contribute to NSW and give my body that little bit of extra time to freshen up," he said.

"I'll be doing a bit of a training block which will be nice because I haven't had one for over a year.

"I'm really excited (about the BBL). It's an incredible tournament.

"To think that domestic cricket is able to get 30 or 40-thousand people consistently at the games and also the viewers on TV is mind-blowing, so I'm really excited.

"I've got a really good lead-in of around six weeks so I'm going to make the most of that."

With his Test commitments over, Watson will be a highly sought after player for T20 franchises in domestic competitions around the world.

He's already signed on for the first ever Pakistan Super League, to be played in the UAE in February, while he's likely to return to the Indian Premier League next year even though the suspension of his franchise Rajasthan Royals has left him in a state of limbo.