Classy ton as Marnus aces test from Starc

AUSTRALIA’S Test stars have butted heads in a fierce Adelaide workout watched closely by chairman of selectors Trevor Hohns.

From his eyrie in the Karen Rolton Oval Pavilion, Hohns saw Marnus Labuschagne make an imperious hundred against one half of Australia’s Test attack – Mitchell Starc and Nathan Lyon.

Hohns watched as Mitchell Starc bounced – and hit – Labuschagne and tested all the Queensland batsmen on a bouncy surface.

In his first red-ball spell since the Sydney Test in January, Starc (2-71 from 20 overs) generated good pace in an impressive – and at times combative – display.

The Australian spearhead warned Labuschagne for backing up too far and hit the irrepressible Queenslander in the shoulder with the last ball of the first session.

It was a fearful blow but Labuschagne was walking off for lunch even as the ball ballooned away harmlessly.

Labuschagne’s 117 (203 balls, 16 fours) – his second hundred from as many innings this Shield season – would have Hohns smiling six weeks from the first Test of the home series against India.

Test hopeful Joe Burns made only 29 but Hohns would have noted that the opener batted through the first session after NSW chose to field first on a cool, overcast day.

Usman Khawaja, however, missed a chance to impress the head selector – he played across a late-swinging Sean Abbott delivery to be bowled for a 14-ball four.

Jimmy Peirson made a bright 66 as Queensland progressed to 7-274 at stumps.