SHANE WATSON was today expecting to be ruled out for two weeks - 24 hours after scoring a magnificent hundred on his Hampshire debut.

The Australian all-rounder, 23, is almost certain to miss the championship match against Yorkshire on Wednesday due to the hamstring injury he suffered while bowling during Somerset's first innings on Saturday.

He is set to undergo scans in London before discovering if he will be fit for the start of Hampshire's Twenty20 campaign on July 2.

But at the Rose Bowl yesterday, with Will Kendall as his runner, he batted through the pain barrier for an unbeaten 112 that set up promotion-chasing Hampshire's 275-run thrashing of the West Countrymen.

It was fifth championship win in seven attempts - that amount of wins took Gloucestershire up from the second division last season - and kept Hampshire hot on the heels of leaders Notts and second-placed Glamorgan.

And that after Hampshire had won only four times in 32 matches during the whole of the 2002 and 2003 championship campaigns!

Watson said: "I want to reward Hampshire for the chnace they've given me, so it was great to get out there and perform well with the bat, especially after I injured my hamstring.

"It was a bit different, I've never had a runner before in any form of cricket, but it didn't really restrict my shot-making too much.

"The only time I felt it was when I tried to play a shot off my pads but, apart from that, it didn't really hinder me at all.

"I felt very comfortable out there and I've got Will to thank for doing my running, he did a great job and made it a little bit easier for me.

"It helped me keep my concentration better because I wasn't as fatigued."

Watson needed just 124 balls to reach his seventh first class hundred, and he put on 158 for the eighth wicket with skipper Shaun Udal.

"I really enjoyed it, I like to give the ball a whack, it's good fun," added the man who made his Australian one-day international return in Zimbabwe last month.

Hampshire manager Paul Terry said: "Shane's hundred was outstanding, it just proved what a really, really talented player he is."

But Terry is unlikely to find another overseas player to replace Watson for the next fortnight.

He added: "There's a rule that a player has to be out for three weeks before he's replaced, so that's unlikely."