England skipper Michael Vaughan hit an encouraging half-century for Yorkshire on Monday as they won a C&G Trophy match against Scotland at Headingley.
Vaughan had managed only one appearance - in a tour match for England in India three months ago - since having surgery on his right knee before Christmas.
But he struck nine fours and one six in 67, scored at exactly a run a ball.
In a low-scoring match, it was the best individual performance. Vaughan is not in the squad for the third Test.
Yorkshire fielded first, with Vaughan running out Scots captain Craig Wright.
"I couldn't have asked for a better start"
His team then had a target of 158 off 30 overs, and Vaughan came in at number three following the dismissal of Matthew Wood with the total on 28.
He put on 91 with Darren Lehmann, a former Australian rival, in a match-winning stand, but was dropped on 19.
A quick single to mid-on got him off the mark - and tested his knee - and an early four past cover showed he was in good nick.
There was more to come from the 31-year-old, notably a huge pull into the West Stand off Dewald Nel.
Nel finally removed the England captain thanks to an astonishing catch at square-leg by his Gavin Hamilton
Vaughan suffered the latest in a series of knee injuries in Pakistan in November.
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He subsequently missed the first Test in a three-match series in Pakistan and flew home for surgery before the limited-overs leg of that tour.
In his absence, England were captained by Marcus Trescothick in Pakistan and by Andrew Flintoff in India.
Flintoff was retained for the ongoing Test series at home to Sri Lanka but Vaughan will return to the helm as soon as he is fit to play for his country.
Vaughan was delighted with his return and said: "I couldn't have asked for a better start.
"I felt good. In my own mind I've been confident over the last two weeks but I haven't said anything because I didn't want to then have another setback.
"I kept very quiet and told all the team who were helping me to keep quiet.
"I need to get through a few games to test it out thoroughly, I'll try to play all the games I can for Yorkshire and see how it reacts to some four-day cricket."