Although Yeoval product Chris Tremain was strong with limited opportunity in an unprecedented all-Australian selection blockbuster his week it looks unlikely he'll be included in the final squad for this year's Ashes series, which will be named tonight.
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Playing for a side dubbed the Graeme Hick XI, the two sides were split evenly, Tremain snared three wickets across the four-day fixture, taking 1-15 from five overs in the Brad Haddin XI's first innings and then 2-27 from five in the second.
Tremain's Hick XI actually went on to win the clash at Hampshire's Rose Bowl though, chasing down their target of 156 in the second innings for the loss of five wickets.
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The chase was anchored by Cam Bancroft's unbeaten 93, the West Australian producing a huge effort in his final audition for the Ashes, with David Warner the only other batter to pass 50 in the low-scoring exhibition clash, played on a pitch labelled "borderline dangerous" by Test skipper Tim Paine.
With Australia's big three quicks - Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc - all guaranteed spots in the Ashes squad, Tremain was in a battle with the like of James Pattinson, Peter Siddle, Jackson Bird and Michael Neser for the remaining pace-bowling spot, or spots.
All four were given far more opportunity than the former Western Zone tearaway, and they all took full advantage too.
Siddle was the best of the four in taking game figures of 5-44, while Pattinson (4-34), Neser (4-42) and Bird (3-62) claimed multiple scalps across the two innings, Neser's 4-18 in the Haddin XI's first dig being match-best figures outside Cummins' and Mitchell Marsh's five-wicket hauls.
The battle to be Paine's reserve behind the stumps was an intriguing one as well.
While the skipper is, of course, cemented as the primary gloveman Alex Carey and Matthew Wade were both included in the intra-squad trial, although the latter's Ashes hopes look to lie as a reserve bat rather than a wicketkeeper.
Carey kept well in the clash but wasn't as effective with the bat, scoring six and 26, while Wade - fresh from three centuries in Australia A's tour and a 1021-run Sheffield Shield season, managed just 10 and seven in his two digs.
Interestingly after the game came to a close a centre-wicket practice was held, on the same wicket, where a handful of bats faced an attack made-up of Tremain, Neser, Nathan Lyon and Marnus Labuschagne.
Australian chairman of selectors Trevor Hohns was expected to name the final Ashes squad, expected to be 16 or 17-strong, at 9pm on Friday night (AEST).