Forgotten Test batter Peter Handscomb sends message with monster double century
Forgotten Test batter Peter Handscomb has sent a timely message to selectors with a big double century in the Sheffield Shield.
And Matthew Renshaw - who made his Test debut alongside Handscomb six years ago - also surpassed 200 in a Shield run-fest on Thursday.
Handscomb whacked the third biggest score for Victoria since World War II - and the state's seventh highest Shield score ever - with 281 not out against Western Australia in Melbourne.
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As the team's captain, he selflessly chose to declare the innings rather than chase an elusive triple-century.
Handscomb also passed up the opportunity to run down Brad Hodge's 286 not-out in the 2007 season, and Dean Jones' 324 not-out in 1994-95. Handscomb's score is the highest in the Shield since Liam Davis hit 303 in 2011-12.
Victorian batter Peter Handscomb celebrates a double century against Western Australia in the Sheffield Shield. Getty
His heroics lifted Victoria to 4-616 declared, putting the heat on WA at Junction Oval.
Handscomb, 31, was regarded as one of Australia's next big things when he was brought into the Test team in 2016 to play against South Africa.
He scored a half-century on debut, and the next series he scored two tons against Pakistan, but that was where his impressive Test performances would largely end.
He was axed after the 2018-19 series against India and has not been seen in the Test arena since.
His Test average sits at 38.91 from 16 matches, which betters his first-class average of 37.71.
Handscomb is no chance to push any of the incumbent Test batters - Steve Smith, Marnus Labuschagne, Travis Head and Cameron Green - out of the team this summer, barring injuries.
His Victorian teammate, Will Pucovski, is next in line for an opening position once David Warner and Usman Khawaja make way.
Australia's next Test match begins on November 30 against the West Indies in Perth.
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