It was nine months in the making, but Cameron Bancroft's return to top-flight cricket lasted just three balls.
The batsman was out for just two in his much-anticipated return from a ball-tampering ban for Perth Scorchers in the Big Bash League on Sunday in Launceston.
He found himself in the middle earlier than expected - and copped a few boos - with the Scorchers crumbling to 3-16 in the fourth over against the Hobart Hurricanes.
Facing firey quick Riley Meredith, Bancroft tucked ball No.1 off his pads for two.
Meredith replied with a bouncer, ruled a wide.
Bancroft blocked the next delivery, but on legal ball No. 3 prodded outside off stump and edged behind to Matthew Wade as the Scorchers fell to 4-16.
"That return we were all waiting for has come to an abrupt end," former Test skipper Ricky Ponting said in commentary on Fox Sports.
Leaving the field, the Bancroft received a warm round of applause from the opposition crowd.
Perth scratched to a paltry 8-107, a target the undefeated Hurricanes chased down with 15 balls to spare.
Replacing injured wicketkeeper Josh Inglis, Bancroft took a diving catch with the gloves to remove Wade.
Bancroft revealed in a Boxing Day interview that David Warner told him to use sandpaper on the ball in the Cape Town Test against South Africa.
Bancroft got hit with a ninth-month ban, while Warner and former captain Steve Smith have three more months to serve.
Former England spinner Phil Tufnell couldn't resist taking a crack at Bancroft, who played eight Tests for Australia before suspension, in commentary.
"I just hope his mother sewed his pockets up," Tufnell joked.
Bancroft also said he used his time away from the game to immerse himself in yoga, dabble in Spanish and learn more about himself.
