Former Australian opener Ed Cowan tweeted on Saturday: "Kurtis Patterson another hundred. Knocks and doors and all that", while another NSW cricketer, Trent Copeland, wrote that his teammate was "bloody good". However, the Herald understands selectors will stick solid with the group of players they announced some 15 days before the Gabba fixture was set to begin. Cricket Australia maintain the Hobart game was not a selection match but while that might be the case, a lack of big scores from Renshaw and Burns in particular highlights a potential flaw in picking a squad so early. There was better news on Saturday though for Labuschagne and Pucovski, who added 50 and 33 not out respectively to give themselves a much-needed confidence boost before they are likely to be named in the XI in Brisbane. That Pucovski made 56 runs for the match and was only dismissed once further enhances his chances of making an international debut.

However, it would have given Patterson great delight to bring up three figures once again in front of selector Greg Chappell in the stands. "Kurtis has been batting really well for a number of years," said CA XI spinner Jon Holland, who took 4-28 off 15 overs in the second innings. "He scores a lot of runs for NSW, so I think he can't be too far off the radar for getting a call-up to the Australian team." Loading Patterson resumed day three on 30 and survived an early caught behind shout. The very next ball, the left-hander leant back and nailed a brutal cut shot, which prompted an onlooker in the crowd to yell out to the bowler: “He hit that one, mate.” From there, Patterson hit the ball anywhere he wanted to – something that is easier said than done. His drives down the ground were immaculate, as were cross-bat shots that whizzed off the wood in a knock that took the CA XI to 3 (dec)-224 in their second innings.

In reply, Sri Lanka showed little intent with the bat and finished on 6-131, some 233 runs behind, before both teams shook hands. "It was a little bit disappointing that they didn't want to make it a first-class game," Holland said. "It took the sting out of it a little bit. I definitely feel we outplayed Sri Lanka in this game." Patterson’s conversion rate in first-class cricket had been a talking point before this season – he has six tons for 26 half-centuries – but he has certainly got the monkey off his back now. Remarkably, Patterson has now scored 426 runs across eight days without being dismissed, having chalked up 167 not out for St George in a one-dayer before heading to Hobart. Spending 348 balls out in the middle against the Sri Lankans would have been incredibly beneficial going into a Test series but for now, Patterson will have to wait his turn.

Meanwhile, Pucovski’s unbeaten dig and Labuschagne’s polished 50 will allay initial concerns all Test squad members involved in this game would head to the Gabba without any decent scores under their belt. Labuschagne was positive and productive against the spinners but punched his bat in anger after edging a Lahiru Kumara delivery to third slip. Burns, Renshaw, Labuschagne and Pucovski will link up with the Test squad in Brisbane on Sunday. One player who won't be joining them, however, is Victorian quick Chris Tremain, who was overlooked in place of Jhye Richardson who got a call up in place of the injured Josh Hazlewood. Tremain was a back-up paceman during the India series and has now slid down the pecking order, to the confusion of some.