The worrying wicket-taking drought has continued for Test cricket spinner Nathan Lyon, but the runs just keep flowing for Victorian batsman Peter Handscomb.
A debut Test appearance looms as a distinct possibility for Handscomb after he scored 215 out of Victoria's 6-510 on day two of the Sheffield Shield cricket match at the SCG on Friday.
NSW finished the day on 2-95 with opener Daniel Hughes on 42 and Test hopeful Kurtis Patterson on 28.
Lyon, who took just two wickets at 120.5 each from the first two Tests against South Africa, returned the figures of 0-141 off 39 overs.
Australia's all-time highest wicket taking offspinner has gone wicketless in his last three first-class innings conceding 344 runs off 90 overs.
" I thought our players played him well throughout the innings and there was a footmark outside the off stump," Victorian batsman and Australian representative Cameron White said.
"I don't think he's bowling badly he's just not probably getting the wickets he would like to at the moment.
"But he;s the most successful offspinner we've ever had so I'm sure he'll work it out."
Two other contenders for a spinners' spot in the third Test in Adelaide , the Blues' Stephen O'Keefe and Victoria's Jon Holland, also went wicketless on Friday.
Test batsmen Steve Smith and David Warner both missed out in the final session, each falling cheaply to slip catches taken by Dan Christian.
Also dismissed cheaply were Victorian Test hopefuls Matthew Wade and Glenn Maxwell.
Handscomb, who started the day on 110, showed the application missing in Australia's Test batting this season.
His marathon innings spanned 470 minutes and 356 balls.and included 23 fours and a six.
He batted across 120 overs, 30 more than .Australia managed in their two innings combined in their most recent Test loss.
"He (Handscomb) has played a few seasons now and he's ridden that wave and his game is in a place he's comfortable with and he can score runs in all conditions," said White, who scored an unbeaten 75 on Friday.
The only spinner to take a wicket on Friday was Smith, a part-timer, who had Handscomb stumped by Peter Nevill.
Handscomb featured in partnerships of 225 with opener Travis Dean, who didn't add to his overnight score of 134, and 142 with White..
"I think he (Handscomb) showed against probably our two best spinners (in Australia) that he's got that game covered as well, so probably the time is right I think (to pick him for Test cricket)," White said.
The Blues new-ball bowlers Doug Bollinger and Trent Copeland each took two wickets.
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