Queenslanders Matthew Renshaw and Marnus Labuschagne have failed to enhance their Test claims with their Sheffield Shield performances, while Callum Ferguson's chances have been cruelled by injury.
Renshaw and Labuschagne have both been dismissed for three against South Australia in the Shield game starting Thursday at Adelaide Oval.
Joe Mennie celebrates Matthew Renshaw’s dismissal.Credit:AAP
And SA batsman Ferguson's hopes of pushing for Test selection have been dashed by a calf strain.
Ferguson, desperate to add to his one Test match in November 2016, is sidelined for the current game and in doubt for the round of Shield games starting next week.
Ferguson's absence is most untimely given the unsettled Australian Test batting line-up ahead of the series against India, which starts in December.
The 33-year-old joins emerging Victorian batsman Will Pucovski in missing the current round of Shield games.
Pucovski has been rested from the Vics' clash against NSW after suffering lethargy in the wake of his superb innings of 243 in last week's Shield openers.
With incumbent Test opener Usman Khawaja battling a knee injury, Queenslander Renshaw blew his initial chance to push his case for a Test recall on Thursday.
Renshaw was widely expected to return to Test ranks in the recent series against Pakistan but suffered concussion when struck in the head while fielding in a warm-up game.
After returning to action last weekend when hitting a century in a Brisbane grade game, Renshaw was included for his first Shield game of the season starting Thursday in Adelaide.
But the lefthander was bowled by SA quick Joe Mennie for three, missing an attempted drive to a fullish ball that hit off stump.
His dismissal brought Labuschagne – who played his first two Tests against Pakistan – to the crease but the right-hander lasted just nine balls before nicking a Mennie delivery to first slip.
The dismissals came as another Test possible, NSW all-rounder Moises Henriques, was out for five in the Blues' Shield game against Victoria in Melbourne.
AAP
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