SHANE WATSON will NOT be available to stand in for Shane Warne in next month's county championship match against Yorkshire at Headingley - and is now unlikely to play any first class cricket for Hampshire this summer.
All rounder Watson, 22, last week received a shock recall to Australia's one-day squad, which ruled him out of championship games against Nottinghamshire (June 25) and Essex (June 912), when he was supposed to replace Michael Clarke, as well as three Totesport League matches.
But until yesterday, when he was called up by Australia for a training camp, he was expected to make his Hampshire debut in the championship match at Headingley (May 12-15) as a replacement for Warne, who, as things stand, will be on tour with Australia in Zimbabwe that week.
Watson will now make his Hampshire debut against Lancashire in the Totesport League at Old Trafford on May 16.
He is also set to replace Warne for Hampshire's Twenty 20 Cup group games at the beginning of July, when the county's captain is likely to be playing two Tests for Australia against Sri Lanka.
But his return to favour amongst the Aussie selectors means that he will not be available for the championship games that Warne and Michael Clarke will miss due to international commitments.
Manager Paul Terry and Warne may bring in another 'locum' as they are permitted to sign four overseas players during the course of the season.
But Terry said: "It's unfortunate that we'll be without Shane Watson but it gives someone else an opportunity to establish a place in the side."
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