Marnus Labuschagne has fallen in all too familiar fashion in his failed return to the Sheffield Shield as Test hopeful Jack Clayton made a classy half-century.
Left-hander Clayton played an array of exquisite drives and ferocious pulls in his 52 for Queensland, to take his season runs tally to 355 at the healthy average of 71.
The Bulls finished day one of the clash with Tasmania at the Gabba on 5-195 after opener Hugo Burdon (70) made his highest Shield score. Lightning in the area brought an early end to play after tea.
Clayton has been touted by Usman Khawaja and Labuschagne himself as a leading option to make his Test debut against New Zealand, with the first Test side to be picked after this current round of the competition is completed.
First-innings scores of 82, 66, 104 and now 52 in the opening four Shield matches this summer have helped 27-year-old Clayton's cause.
A media scrum interviewed him after Wednesday's knock and he handled it with poise, while admitting to "surprise" at the attention.
"I feel like I haven't really ever had much media attention at all," Clayton said.
"I go about my business in Shield cricket and ... then Uzzie came out and probably the timing of the hundred (against Victoria) brought a lot more media scrutiny to it.
"My performances had been pretty decent after that media scrutiny. I am very process driven in the way I go about my cricket.
"Although there may be that outside noise, I go through my routine that I always do and I feel like that has been holding me in good stead."
Labuschagne's quest to push for a future Test recall got off to a poor start.
The Bulls captain, who has been dropped from the Australia team for the upcoming Test series against New Zealand, was hoping to get amongst the runs at the Gabba.
The 32-year-old won the toss on a good batting wicket and started his innings at No.3 with an exquisite cover drive to the boundary.
He appeared in fine touch, getting to 12 before playing a loose drive to a Riley Meredith delivery on a fourth-stump line without moving his feet.
The edge went straight through to wicketkeeper Jake Doran and a disappointed Labuschagne trudged off in disappointment.
An underwhelming recent tour of South Africa and a Test century drought that extended to 49 innings was the reason for his axing.
Labuschagne said on the eve of the Brisbane clash he had a clear goal to get back in the Test team next year for the tour of India or the Ashes.
"I am here to win games for Queensland and score runs. If I do that, I know that if I am playing at my best I will fight my way back into that team," Labuschagne said.
"The only way that is going to happen is with mountains of runs."
Labuschagne still has the second innings against Tasmania and two more Shield matches before Christmas to push his claims.
The Tigers' attack toiled with patience on the first day with Meredith (2-47) the pick.
