AUSTRALIAN all-rounder Shane Watson will NOT be returning to the Rose Bowl in 2005.

Hampshire will have to fill both overseas players role from July onwards if, as expected, Shane Warne and Simon Katich are both named in Australia's 16-man Ashes Test squad.

Watson, 24, filled in for Aussie batsman Michael Clarke and Warne last summer, topping both the championship and Twenty20 averages.

In the championship he scored a century on his debut against Somerset and 97 not out in the Twenty20 against Kent - the latter being the county's highest-ever score in the competition.

But if he fails to make the Ashes Test party, Watson will stay at home and enjoy a rest after recovering from the muscle injury that forced him out of Australia's current tour of New Zealand.

"I am hopeful of being selected in Australia's Ashes squad," Watson told the Daily Echo.

"My aim is to be picked in both the one-day and Test squads.

"I loved playing for Hampshire last season and definitely want to return in the future.

"I would probably return for a few weeks (in 2006) instead of a whole season to fit in with my international commitments."

Watson is the hot tip to be Australia's next champion all rounder with former captain Steve Waugh as one of his many admirers.

But doubts remains over his fitness and as his questions remain about the effectiveness of his medium pace bowling.

In eight four-day Pura Cup matches for Queensland this season, he scored 588 runs at 42.00 but his 16 wickets cost 31.18 apiece.

He played only three one-day ING Cup matches. His highest score was 73 and he took three wickets at 40.66

The highlight of Watson's season was in January when he took 1-32 and scored 31 on his Test debut against Pakistan at Sydney.

In his 31 one-day internationals for Australia, Watson averages 31.00 with the bat and 45.66 with the ball, having taken 21 wickets.