Cameron Bancroft's push for Test selection is threatening to come unstuck after the opener was again dismissed cheaply in WA's six-wicket Sheffield Shield defeat of Tasmania.
After sub-par showings from Test rivals Marcus Harris and Sam Konstas in their own Shield fixtures this week, Bancroft looked set for the chance to bat WA to victory on day four at the WACA Ground and finish the week as Australia's form opening option.
The 10-time Test player, one of the Shield's most prolific run-scorers in recent years, had already been singled out by chief selector George Bailey as a leading candidate to replace the injured Cameron Green in the XI for the five-Test series with India.
But as his side chased only 83 runs for victory on Wednesday, Bancroft (two from 16 deliveries) holed out to Kieran Elliott, who ran to take a screamer of a catch at fine leg during the first session.
Bancroft lasted only two-and-a-half overs and has now managed just 10 runs from four Shield innings this summer for a meagre average of 2.5.
But WA captain Sam Whiteman backed Bancroft to soon bounce back to his best.
"I think it's a matter of time," he said.
"Each fail he's one closer to a big score. He knows that, he's played enough professional cricket in his life. He's a pretty positive guy."
It will have been cold comfort for the 31-year-old that WA (332, 4-83) reported similar batting struggles to their Tasmanian rivals (277, 137), who were all out earlier in the day.
Bancroft's would-be Test teammate Mitch Marsh continued the trend of Australia's incumbent players struggling with the bat to begin the summer.
Marsh clipped Elliott to Charlie Wakim at third slip for a run-a-ball six, before fellow allrounder Aaron Hardie was also caught behind from the same paceman.
Elliott (3-22) left WA in serious danger, at 4-18, of butchering their simple run chase before Josh Inglis (26no off 36) and Hilton Cartwright (39no off 50) forged the winning partnership.
Inglis, who scored a game-defining century in the first innings, hit the first boundary after the collapse to instil some confidence in the hosts.
Only hours after Greg Shipperd declared him a "smoky" for the Test opening spot, Inglis hit the winning runs to long-off from Matt Kuhnemann's bowling.
"That was obviously a really important partnership for them just getting some momentum back in their favour," Elliott said.
"(Defending 83) was going to be difficult."
After tensions threatened to boil over on day three, umpires again needed to intervene as Cartwright and Tasmania's Jake Weatherald exchanged words on day four.
Weatherald spoke to Cartwright as he walked out to replace Bancroft, with play stopping only one delivery later for the umpires to address both men.
Opposition captain Jordan Silk had permitted Cartwright to return to the crease on day three after he retired the day prior to attend the birth of his child.
Cartwright confirmed he and Weatherald had caught up to resolve their differences after the game.
"It's a competitive game of cricket and emotions are obviously heightened once you're out there. A few bits and pieces are said out there," he said.
"It was just clearing some air that I think might've got a bit misjudged while we were out there."
