Out-of-favour left-hander shows he can still play, on his way to career-high score.
Dumped Test batsman Phil Hughes smashed a double century to remind the national selectors of his Ashes worth, batting for South Australia in the Sheffield Shield on Friday.
Hughes, passed over for next week’s Ashes series opener in Brisbane, posted a career-best 204 to guide his state side to 520 for four at stumps and claim first-innings points after Western Australia were bowled out for 434 at the Adelaide Oval on Thursday.
Hughes said he had been in touch with Test selectors and told in no uncertain terms what he had to do to end his exile.
“It was very simple; just make runs, runs, runs and more runs,” he said.
“That’s the message, and I know that. I’ve been in and out of the (Test) side for a number of years at the top level.
“That’s behind me now being dropped (in England) and I’m not concerned about that one bit.
“But the selectors have been very supportive. I’ve been in regular touch and had some good talks with (chairman of selectors) John Inverarity the last couple weeks.”
Fellow opener Michael Klinger (125) also scored a ton in posting a 253-run opening stand with Hughes.
Klinger was dismissed just after lunch when he was caught and bowled by Ryan Duffield and Hughes’s 533-minute stay at the crease ended when he was run out by Nathan Coulter-Nile’s sharp throw at the stumps.
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