Cooper Connolly is happy to be back spinning his way to double-pronged success after a spell when batting and big-hitting has been the gifted allrounder's sole pre-occupation.
The 23-year-old West Australian reminded everyone of his varied gifts in the first ODI against Zimbabwe on Tuesday when he cracked a half-century, matching skipper Mitch Marsh blow-for-blow after coming in first-wicket down, and then took his first international wicket for more than seven months in the 59-run win.
He made it clear that it was his 1-23 off four overs that was the real delight for him after he wasn't allowed to bowl his left-arm spin for five months while recuperating from back trouble.
But now, as he looks forward to helping Australia attempt to wrap up the ODI series victory in Harare on Friday, he's hoping it will be normal service resumed with the ball after months in which he admitted it had felt strange to be concentrating on nothing but his batting.
"It was great to be back bowling, to be honest," he said. "I've certainly had to concentrate on batting, but obviously I did miss miss bowling.
"I've bowled for most of my life, so it's been a little bit of a different way to go about training. I'd go and have a hit, and then I'd have nothing to do.
"But it was a nice, required break for my back, and I'm feeling good now, trending in the right direction. I'll just slowly keep building towards more and more overs as time goes on."
Connolly says he's returning with his bowling action slightly tweaked and his body straighter to put less strain on his back.
"It feels good at the moment, which is always nice, but you never know ..." he said.
But he's convinced he will be just as effective with the refined action. "That's the benefit of being in programs where you can put time aside to work on some technical stuff. When you're out in the middle, you can just compete and don't worry about anything else."
It's a year away but all roads for Connolly will lead to Australia's World Cup defence next year, back in Zimbabwe and South Africa, where he'll get a feel for conditions during this ODI series and the forthcoming ODIs and Tests against the Proteas across the end of September and October.
"I'd love to be on that tour, it's a dream to play in a one-day World Cup," said Connolly, pondering the prospect of playing at the tournament in South Africa, Namibia and Zimbabwe in October and November of next year.
"But it's still a year away. So there's some time to build. I'm just looking to be consistent and put my best foot forward in helping the team win both series here."
Australia are expected to recall pace star Josh Hazlewood and allrounder Cameron Green to bolster their team in Friday's second match against Zimbabwe, following the victory on Tuesday which featured a century for Matt Renshaw and Nathan Ellis's five-for.
