Victoria's Peter Handscomb isn't yet sure whether he'd prosper at Test level, but he' moved closer to getting an opportunity after a timely unbeaten century against NSW at the SCG.
Handscomb scored 110 off 193 balls and opener Travis Dean got 134 off 274 to add 225 runs on Thursday in an unbroken stand that started in the final over before lunch.on the opening day.
Victoria capitalised on winning the toss to reach 2-292 by stumps on day one.
With batting spots for the third Test up for grabs and national selector Mark Waugh in the crowd, Handscomb struck 12 boundaries and a six, with the latter coming off Australian captain and part-time spinner Steve Smith.
The Australia A representative had lives on 14 and 77 and was dropped both times in the slips by Trent Copeland off Doug Bollinger.
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The 25-year-old right-hander said he went into the game trying not to think about the possibility of Test selection.
"if it happens I feel pretty good," Handscomb said, when asked if he was ready to play Test cricket.
"I'd love to take the opportunity to get out there and give it a crack at the next level, but having never been there I can't tell you whether I'll be any good or not."'
Most of his runs were accrued against an attack whose five main bowlers have played Test cricket, though spinner Nathan Lyon was the only incumbent.
Blues tweakers Lyon and Steve O'Keefe had a tough day on a wicket that didn't offer the same encouragement for slow bowlers as the one used for the season's previous Shield game at the SCG.
Lyon, who's taken 2-241 in the first two Tests against South Africa, toiled hard for no reward with 0-88 off 27 overs.
"I thought he bowled well again without luck," said O'Keefe, who took 1-65 off 25 overs.
"I still think the ball is coming out of his hand really really nicely, I know other people may think otherwise, but I think he'still bowling beautifully."
