Tasmania denies Ashes hopeful Glenn Maxwell precious time in the middle

ASHES hopeful Glenn Maxwell was forced to watch in the field as Tasmania’s batsmen denied the Test incumbent a final chance to impress selectors.

Glenn Maxwell was forced to field for all three sessions.

NATIONAL selector Mark Waugh sat himself in a radio box at the MCG watching nothing of Ashes significance for most of a baking hot Tuesday.

He missed the twin Monday failures of incumbent Test team members Matthew Wade and Glenn Maxwell, and has nothing further to report to his fellow selectors when they meet in Brisbane on Wednesday to pick the squad for next week’s Ashes opener.

Glenn Maxwell was forced to field for all three sessions.

While Wade’s cards seemed all but marked after a horror show summer and a groundswell towards NSW gloveman Peter Nevill, Maxwell’s Ashes fate remains much less clear.

And the “big show” was forced to watch on as the slow-marching Tasmanian batsmen denied him a chance to put on a batting display in front of Waugh and push his cause to retain the much debated number six slot in the Aussie line-up.

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While West Australian bolter Cameron Bancroft notched up a not out double-hundred, Maxwell served more than five hours of penance in the blistering summer sun watching a tame Tassie outfit meander to a 208 run lead with nine wickets in hand, and two days to play.

Just 221 runs were scored in a full day’s play, all 390 minutes, including 180 in 68 overs from the Tasmanian top three with former Test number three Alex Doolan (107 not out) making his ninth Shield hundred.

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After 20 wickets fell through the opening four sessions of the game, including the Vics losing a troubling 6-10 before lunch on day two, Maxwell could have hoped for a bat at least late in the day.

But his itchy feet were denied and even Wade, slotted to come in at number five for Tasmania knowing Nevill had been dismissed for 17 earlier in the day, missed out on time in the middle on the eve of selection D-Day.

The squad should be finalised on Wednesday, but won’t be announced until Friday.

Scoring records were certainly not broken at the MCG, but history was made, when Tiger Jordan Silk became the first player ever subbed out of a first class game with concussion, replaced by Jake Doran.