There will be no respite for Test batsmen Joe Burns and Usman Khawaja upon their Sheffield Shield return for Queensland this week.
Bulls coach Phil Jaques has admitted it will be hard for batsmen to stake a Test claim on the lively Gabba deck that will host their Shield clash with South Australia from Thursday.
Jaques warned the juicy wicket ensured runs would be hard to come by - not exactly music to Bulls stars Burns and Khawaja's ears.
The pair need runs - and plenty of them - after every incumbent Test batsman was sent back to Shield following Australia's second Test humbling against South Africa in Hobart.
South Australia's Callum Ferguson - who made his Test debut in Hobart - also needs a big score in Brisbane.
However, Jaques claimed the Gabba had regained its trademark "pace, carry and seam" for the match against Shield leaders South Australia.
Asked if it would be hard to stake a Test claim at the Gabba, Jaques said: "I think it is for batsmen, it is definitely a test.
"Guys will have to earn their runs.
"Runs out here are very valuable.
"But they (Bulls batsmen) have played enough cricket here to put a place forward."
Former Test opener Jaques backed Burns and Khawaja to be retained by Australia.
Khawaja will be hard to be overlooked after emerging as the second highest Australian run scorer for the series (169 runs at 42.25).
But Burns managed just one run in the second Test, replacing injured opener Shaun Marsh (finger).
"Usman has played well in both Tests so far," Jaques said.
"I'm a big fan. I think he showed some fight.
"And Joe will come good.. He would have liked to have scored more runs but he will bounce back."
However, Jaques conceded a big Shield performance "from anyone" could earn consideration for next week's third Test in Adelaide.
"Runs and wickets has always been the currency, always will be," he said.
Jaques backed Shield's production of quality players, baulking at ex-captain Ian Chappell's claim that Australia's Test woes indicated the "system was broken".
"Shield cricket is strong," he said.
"I don't think we should be throwing all Shield players under the bus and saying the system is not working."
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