Former Glamorgan star Adam Shantry insists he will be happy to play a part in Shrewsbury's Birmingham Cricket League title push if he feels he can make a contribution.
Local lad Shantry, forced to retire from the professional game owing to injury after a successful career which also took in spells with Northamptonshire and Warwickshire, made his senior debut for the London Road club last weekend.
Asked to play in Sunday's ECB National Club Twenty20 tie at home to Walmley, left-arm seamer Shantry, 32, took a wicket and also hit a quickfire 15 with the bat as Shrewsbury eased through to the area finals of the competition.
It was Shantry's first game for close on a year as he concentrates on his flourishing coaching career at Shrewsbury School while he is also club coach at London Road where he puts the club's players through their paces every Friday night.
"It was lovely to be out there again," said Shantry, whose younger brother Jack, a former Shrewsbury player, completed 200 wickets in first-class cricket for Worcestershire earlier this week.
"If my body was 100 per cent, I would be out there every single week, but the knees are a limiting factor now.
"If I can play for Shrewsbury and do my best then I want to, but having said that there is so much talent coming through.
"I'm 32 now and I've played a lot of cricket, and I want to see the youngsters coming through. I don't want to hold back anyone who's got the potential to go on and play for Shrewsbury for another 10 years."
Shantry admitted the buzz of being on the pitch playing once again quickly returned as he pulled on a Shrewsbury shirt for the first time since representing the club as a 13-year-old.
He said: "It was literally the first time I've picked up a ball and bowled on a wicket for what must be getting on for a year when I played a few games for Radyr in South Wales.
"I haven't even practiced. I've been to nets in my coaching capacity, but I haven't batted or bowled at nets, I've just watched, so I was as rusty as you can get."
Shrewsbury captain Rob Foster stressed he was pleased that Shantry agreed to step in and play against Walmley.
"We managed to twist Adam's arm as we were missing a few players," said Foster. "Just to have his experience around the dressing room was great and you could see how he fielded, bowled and batted, everything about his game showed he had been a professional cricketer.
"His experience can rub off on a few of the younger lads. His knees were pretty sore afterwards but it's just great to have him playing.
"It's a difficult situation with just how much Adam can play with his Shrewsbury School commitments and how much he can commit to playing here with life away from cricket and things like that, so we'll probably just play it by ear."
Shantry added he was enjoying being involved with Shrewsbury in a coaching capacity with his weekly training sessions popular with the club's players.
"We had attendances of around 30 to 35 for the first couple of weeks," he said. "It's dropped off with the weather, so hopefully all of the club's captains can make sure their players come as everyone's welcome.
"We've got two grass nets, the artificial nets, fielding stations, fitness stations, everything you could wish for to improve your game. I would love to see 40 or 50 people every single Friday."
Meanwhile, Shrewsbury must shuffle their pack for Saturday's Birmingham League trip to Barnt Green with captain Rob Foster among the notable absentees.
Foster is joined on the unavailable list by batsman Tom Cox and wicketkeeper Anthony Parker as the London Roaders chase a fourth successive premier division victory. Last Saturday's home game with Wolverhampton, the bottom club, was washed out without a ball bowled.
Opening batsman Ed Foster will deputise for his younger brother by captaining the side at Barnt Green.
"They're mid-table," said Rob Foster, of Saturday's hosts. "They've lost their captain, Andy Sutton, to injury and he's a big part of their side.
"I don't know if he'll be back from a broken thumb but I would imagine it shouldn't be too much longer.
"They're always there or thereabouts. Barnt Green are traditionally a big club and a strong club within the Birmingham League."
Barnt Green could include Warwickshire's Josh Poysden in their side.