Given a platform to strengthen their Test ambitions, Australia's hopefuls have all floundered on day one of the Sheffield Shield season.
Cameron Bancroft, Shaun Marsh, Joe Burns and Usman Khawaja all failed to post a score of substance in potentially their final knocks before national selectors pick a squad for Brisbane.
Chairman of selectors Rod Marsh on Friday will announce the squad that will face New Zealand in the three-Test series opener, which starts on November 5 at the Gabba.
The major question is which batsmen deserve call-ups after the retirements of Michael Clarke and Chris Rogers.
Frontrunners Bancroft, Marsh, Burns and Khawaja were all desperate to deliver on Wednesday, when pivotal day-night fixtures started in Adelaide, Melbourne and Hobart.
Faced with a pink ball and some reasonable bowling, none of them was able to.
Burns' 85-minute stay at the crease, which produced 25 runs, was the most promising of an underwhelming bunch.
Western Australians Bancroft and Marsh were both dismissed in the first hour of play in Hobart.
Bancroft was caught behind for 10, while Marsh departed for 15 when he steered a wide ball to be caught in the deep.
Burns, opening for Queensland, withstood Victoria's new-ball attack of James Pattinson and Peter Siddle to reach drinks at the MCG.
Having done all the hard work, Burns was clean bowled by a slider in legspinner Fawad Ahmed's first over.
Khawaja showed good intent at the crease, the highlight a commanding pull shot off Pattinson.
He scored 21 before prodding at a wide ball from John Hastings, Matthew Wade snaring the apparent edge.
Queensland's captain initially stood his ground as Hastings and Wade celebrated wildly, but the 28-year-old was given his marching orders.
The dismissals raise more questions about who will open the batting alongside David Warner at the Gabba, however selectors will not judge the aspirants on one innings.
Burns and Khawaja both scored tons against New Zealand in last weekend's tour game on a flat Manuka Oval pitch.
Bancroft and Marsh were both among the runs in this month's domestic one-day tournament.
Yet none of the four has banged down the door in the fashion that Rod Marsh and his colleagues would have hoped for.
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