Watson signs for Hampshire
Shane Watson will join Hampshire for two months to fill in for Shane Warne
Cricinfo staff
15-Jun-2005
The Australian allrounder Shane Watson will join Hampshire for two months as cover for Shane Warne. Watson, who is a hard-hitting batsman and bowls fast medium, returns to the county while Warne is on Test duty for The Ashes. He spent five weeks with Hampshire last season, striking a century on championship debut.
Watson, nearly 24, will play his first match for Hampshire in the C&G quarter-final against Surrey at the Oval on July 15. His last match is set to be the national league tie against Middlesex on September 4 at the Rose Bowl.
He has been in England a week with Australia's one-day squad for the forthcoming series against England and Bangladesh. "I am really looking forward to playing for Hampshire again," Watson said. "The memories of my time at The Rose Bowl last season are all happy ones and the challenge of playing county cricket again in such a good Hampshire team is very exciting."