WHEN Ryan Campbell last played international cricket John Howard was prime minister, Eminem was topping the music charts, and digital television had just been launched in Australia.

On the cricketing front, Campbell played in a side that was still reeling from the surprise axing of captain Steve Waugh. It featured current Australia coach Darren Lehmann, giants of the game like Michael Bevan, Ricky Ponting, Glenn McGrath and Brett Lee, and also included a young all-rounder named Shane Watson.

The year was 2002 and it’s fair to say a lot has changed in the 4,826 days since then.

For one, Campbell lives in Hong Kong.

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Ryan Campbell played two one-day internationals for Australia back in 2002. Source: News Limited

After finishing up his domestic cricket career in 2006 he had stints working in breakfast radio and as a cricket commentator – as well as playing in the ill-fated Indian Cricket League - before relocating to Hong Kong in 2010.

He initially took a job as coach at the Kowloon Cricket Club before being appointed as the national team’s batting coach, all the while continuing to play cricket against men that could only dream of batting alongside someone like Ponting.

January of 2016 marked four years since Campbell first moved to Hong Kong, which meant he was now eligible to play for the national side.

And, at the age of 44, that’s exactly what he plans on doing in Tuesday’s opening match of the World Twenty20, with Hong Kong set to open the tournament against Zimbabwe in Nagpur.

If Campbell does play in the tournament, his break between international matches of 13 years and two months will put him sixth on the all-time list. He’s four years short of the record for longest break between international matches, which goes to Englishman George Gunn, who didn’t play for his country between 1912 and 1930.

After being named in the squad in late January, Campbell had a fair bit of trepidation about how his international comeback might turn out.

“Yeah, pretty nervous to be honest,” he said. “I guess Simon Cook the coach and I have spoken about this for a little while. And I think we were both talking about the good and the bad side of things.

“I’m really looking forward to it. It’s a big challenge. I’d be wrong to say I’m not a little bit fearful of what’s to come for me as an out and out batsman. But my pride will always get me through. I’m the most competitive bloke I know.”

However if his Instagram is anything to go by, those nerves have turned to excitement as the date edges closer.

Here we go again!! #propellersuck #hkproud A photo posted by Ryan Campbell (@cambo19) on Mar 5, 2016 at 11:20pm PST

There’s good reason for Campbell to feel like he could still have what it takes near, if not quite at, the top level of the game.

For one he showed good form for Kowloon in Hong Kong’s domestic T20 league, scoring a couple of half-centuries late last year and even taking a couple of wickets with his unfashionable off-spin during a warm-up match against an Indian domestic side last week.

However a score of 6 against Ireland last week gave Campbell a firm reality check about the task he now faces.

“It’s been a while but if you look at my numbers in Hong Kong, I think I’m clearly one of the better batsmen in Hong Kong. But it will be a test, don’t get me wrong. It will be a big test. But I’ll find out and I’m sure Simon Cook will find out if I’m not to the standard then I won’t be used, but if I’m going OK you never know.”

And if he does get a game, don’t be surprised if Campbell brings out his famous scoop shot.

Also known as the ramp, the shot is the forefather of the Dilscoop and Campbell was one of its first exponents, first using it for Western Australia before showing it off against Sri Lanka in a one-day international in 2002.

And in the years since he left Australia he has seen the shot become one of Twenty20 cricket’s most common. Now he wants to take it back as his own.

“The ramp, the scoop — to be honest, I’ve been sitting back for the past 10 or 12 years watching everyone use it,” he said. “Maybe I’ll have to take a little bit of ownership back. Sitting back watching T20 cricket, it’s been fantastic to watch.”