The talented all-rounder hit 69 at better than a run a ball and then bowled five overs, looking the most threatening of the Otago bowlers against Canterbury.
Neesham had taken some time away from the game but said he was pleased to get back out on the field at the University Oval, although he would have swapped the good individual effort for a win for the side.
"Obviously, the result was not what we were looking for but it was good to be back out there.
"I made a couple of decent contributions which was good," he said.
"It was never going to be the most fluent innings as it was a bit of a difficult wicket. But coming on at four down we really had to get a partnership going and get us up to, what in the end, was an above-par score.
"It was nice to get out there and put some of the things into action that I have been working on in the past couple of weeks."
Neesham (27) started slowly but a six over midwicket off off-spinner Tim Johnston released the shackles. He impressed and a century looked possible until he chopped the ball on to the stumps off and Johnston had the wicket.
Neesham had been dropped from the Otago team in its forgettable Super Smash campaign and had then taken a couple of weeks away from cricket.
He said the time away was needed and proved beneficial.
"There were technical things that I needed to work on and change. But for me it was mainly sorting out a few things mentally and getting away from the group.
"Sort of re-setting and giving my best when I came back to the group. That clearly wasn’t happening for me before I left, either culturally or performance-wise.
"It was more off the field stuff than on the field. I’m not going to go into specifics but there were multiple things that sort of happened in a row that I was struggling to deal with.
"It was good to put those aside and have time to sort them out, come back with a clear mind, and contribute again."
Neesham said with the game all but gone after his first five-over spell there was no point in coming back and bowling some more in his first game back.
