NEWCASTLE'S Jason Sangha has endured a frustrating setback after being dismissed on Thursday for a duck in his first Sheffield Shield innings of the season.
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The 22-year-old, who was stymied last year by COVID restrictions and a hamstring injury, would have been hoping to start the year strongly after being named by NSW for their season-opener against Victoria at Drummoyne Oval.
Batting at No.4, he faced 15 balls before being dismissed by his former Australian under-19 teammate Will Sutherland, after a catch by Jonathan Merlo.
Chasing Victoria's first-innings 199, the Blues were dismissed for 171.
Victoria were 1-75 in their second dig, with Test aspirant Marcus Harris unbeaten on 41.
Meanwhile, one of Harris's main rivals, Usman Khawaja, has enhanced his compelling case for an Ashes recall with another century.
Khawaja departed for 119 in the shadows of lunch on day two of the Bulls' match against Tasmania in Townsville.
Queensland declared at 6-487 in Thursday's post-lunch session, having seized control after Marnus Labuschagne's 136 on day one.
The visitors were 4-150 approaching stumps in response, losing openers Caleb Jewel and Tim Ward.
Former Test opener Matthew Renshaw finished 120 not out, also enjoying a productive stint at the crease for Queensland.
Khawaja, who hasn't played for Australia since being axed during the 2019 Ashes, occupies top spot on this Shield season's run-scoring charts - his tally boosted by a knock of 174 against South Australia at Adelaide Oval earlier this month.
England's Test attack at the Gabba will represent a notably different threat to that encountered at Riverway Stadium, where Khawaja stroked 15 boundaries before finally falling to opposing captain Beau Webster's offspin.
But Khawaja's recent form, coupled with the 34-year-old's versatility and experience, will ensure he is part of national selectors' thoughts in coming weeks.
Labuschagne, Steve Smith and David Warner are automatic selections for the first Test, which starts on December 8, while all-rounder Cameron Green is expected to be retained in the XI.
There is no shortage of conjecture about the other two spots in the top six.
Will Pucovski was expected to open in the first Test but the Victorian prodigy remains on the sidelines because of his 10th concussion.
Khawaja averages almost 100 in seven Test innings as an opener, underlining his case for partnering Warner at the Gabba.
The veteran, who now bats at No.4 for Queensland, could also be deployed in the middle order.
In Perth, Test all-rounder Cameron Green struck a timely half-century to put Western Australia in the box seat against South Australia at the WACA Ground.
In reply to SA's first-innings total of 128, WA were 4-143 at lunch on day two.
Green (61 off 94 balls) and Cameron Bancroft (46 off 134 balls) combined for a 101-run stand on a green deck to guide their side to a position of strength, after WA had slumped to 2-17 on Wednesday.
Bancroft was the first to fall on Thursday when he was caught behind off paceman David Grant.
Green looked ominous during a knock that featured seven fours and a six.
But he fell shortly after Bancroft's dismissal when he skied an attempted pull shot off Grant (2-37).
Green started the domestic season with a classy 106 against South Australia.
But his next five knocks in Shield and one-day cricket have returned scores of two, five, seven, 13 and nine in what marked a rare form slump for the 22-year-old.
His half-century on Thursday was welcome news for both WA and Australia's national selectors, who view Green as a vital part of the Ashes puzzle.
Redbacks pace bowler Brendan Doggett was forced off the field during his fifth over on Thursday with what appeared to be a side strain.