Former Australian Test captain Tim Paine has made a successful return to the field, helping his old junior team to an upset win in Tasmania's Premier League.
The wicketkeeper took a catch and made an unbeaten 20 as University started their season by beating New Town on Sunday in a Hobart one-dayer.
New Town are defending premiers while University finished bottom last season.
Paine has not played first-class cricket since April last year.
The 37-year-old walked away from the sport in the lead-up to the 2021 Ashes series against England when a sexting scandal dating back to late 2017 became public.
He has been training as an uncontracted player with the Tasmanian state team, who open their Sheffield Shield season on October 6 against Queensland.
Fellow Tasmanian and former Test captain Ricky Ponting, head of strategy for Hobart Hurricanes, has openly stated his desire for Paine to again turn out for the BBL side.
The Hurricanes have one empty spot on their roster.
Paine quit the Test captaincy after admitting involvement in a lewd text exchange with a female employee of Cricket Tasmania.
Cricket Australia investigated at the time and cleared him of wrongdoing.
