Former Australia captain Tim Payne walks off the field after being sacked during the Sheffield Shield match between Queensland and Tasmania at Allan Border Field in Brisbane.

Brisbane (Australia) (AFP) – Former Australia captain Tim Payne went out on the cheap Thursday in his first game since a sexting scandal ended his international career, as his comeback failed to inspire the Tasmanian state team.[expander_maker id=”1″ ]

The 37-year-old resigned as test captain last November on the eve of the Ashes campaign against England when the obscene text messages he sent to his teammate in 2017 were about to go public.

A week later he took time off from all forms of cricket for “the foreseeable future” as the scandal took its toll.

But he never retired and Tasmania coach Jeff Vaughan has announced that he is both physically and emotionally ready to return this week.

“Physically he’s probably in the greatest spot in his physical life,” Vaughan said. Emotionally he is healthy.”

Bean walked to the tuck at Alan Border Field against Queensland at Sheffield Shield and received a standing ovation from a humble crowd.

But the veteran wicket-keeper, hit seven times, only lasted 19 balls in six runs, edging Gurinder Sandow’s short shot to Matthew Renshaw into a slip as Tasmania slipped to 74-6.[/expander_maker]