Another 50 for Renshaw; Burns, Ferguson fail again

South Australia 258 (Carey 76, Feldman 3-56, George 3-74) and 2 for 71 need another 375 runs to beat Queensland 7 for 475 dec and 7 for 228 dec (Heazlett 63, Renshaw 50)
Scorecard

Queensland opener Matt Renshaw improved his chances of a surprise Test call-up by adding a second-innings 50 to his century from the first innings, but Test incumbents Joe Burns and Callum Ferguson both failed again on the third day at the Gabba. Australia's squad for the day-night Adelaide Test will be announced on Sunday and with several batting positions under discussion, all three Sheffield Shield games have been under great scrutiny.

South Australia resumed on 9 for 222 and after their last pair pushed the total to 258 - wicketkeeper Alex Carey top scored with 76 - Queensland chose not to enforce the follow-on. That gave Burns and Renshaw a final opportunity to impress interim national selector Greg Chappell, who was at the Gabba, but Burns was unable to grab his chance and was lbw to Chadd Sayers for 2.

It continued a horror run for Burns, who began the Shield season with a century but has now failed to reach double-figures in any of his past six first-class innings. Meanwhile the 20-year-old Renshaw, in his first Shield game of the summer having suffered a knee injury during the Matador Cup, showed that he can switch gears by striking 50 from 51 balls as the Bulls sought quick runs to set the Redbacks a target.

In the first innings, Renshaw had watchfully seen off the swinging new ball before he started to expand his strokeplay, and finished with 108. Renshaw averages 44.39 with three centuries from his 12 first-class appearances, and if selected for Adelaide will be the least experienced specialist batsman to make his Test debut for Australia since Warner, who had played 11 first-class games when he won the baggy green.

Usman Khawaja was caught and bowled by Kane Richardson for 17, Marnus Labuschagne was bowled by Sayers for 8, and young batsman Sam Heazlett posted 63 before he was lbw to the part-time offspin of Travis Head. The Bulls declared at 7 for 228, setting South Australia an unlikely 446 for victory, and by stumps the Redbacks were 2 for 71.

Ferguson, who made his Test debut in Hobart, was caught behind off Peter George for 4 and is experiencing a similarly lean patch to Burns, having not reached double-figures in any of his past five first-class innings. At the close of play, Jake Weatherald was on 33 and Head was on 13.