Sheffield Shield: Steve Smith scores timely century ahead of Ashes as Sam Konstas, Cam Green and Beau Webster fail to fire

Steve Smith has sent an ominous warning to England ahead of next month’s Ashes after scoring a century in his Sheffield Shield return for New South Wales.

Playing his first game in two months and after going almost six weeks without picking up a bat while in New York, Smith looked in ominous touch at the Gabba, scoring 118 off 176 deliveries as a part of a 202-run partnership with Kurtis Patterson (122).

The interim captain’s work on the front foot and obvious desire for runs will have brought a smile to selectors’ faces, and been the last thing England will want to see.

In a further boost for Australia, injured skipper Pat Cummins was able to return to light bowling during a net session after officially being ruled out of the Ashes opener last week.

Cummins bowled off a five-step run-up in a brief net session in Sydney on Wednesday morning, as he pushes to play some role in the Ashes.

In order to return, Cummins has indicated he would need four-to-six weeks of bowling first.

The second Test in Brisbane starts in a little over five weeks on December 4, while the third Test in Adelaide is seven weeks away, getting underway on December 17.

Cummins bowled off a short run-up at Cricket NSW’s Silverwater headquarters, watched by renowned physio Patrick Farhart and the Blues’ strength and conditioning coach, Dean McNamara.

The quick has not bowled since Australia’s success in the West Indies in July, with scans having since shown a stress injury in his lower back.

Bizarre leave costs Konstas as Ashes hopefuls struggle

Hayden Kerr of Queensland celebrates taking the wicket of Sam Konstas of New South Wales. (Getty Images: Bradley Kanaris)

Sam Konstas’s bid to open the batting for Australia in the first Ashes Test has took another hit, after the 20-year-old was dismissed early on day two of the Sheffield Shield match against Queensland. 

Konstas got the first chance of the Test hopefuls on Wednesday morning when Queensland won the toss and sent NSW into bat. 

The 20-year-old hit two boundaries en-route to scoring 10 runs, before he left a delivery from Hayden Kerr that clattered into the top of middle stump.

Elsewhere in the Shield, Tasmania’s Beau Webster was dismissed for just 11 following fellow Ashes hopeful Jake Weatherland’s duck late on day two against Victoria. 

Forgotten ex-Test opener Cameron Bancroft gave selectors a timely reminder of his quality, notching a vital century against South Australia as WA teammate Cameron Green was dismissed for a duck.

The make-up of Australia’s top order is yet to be locked in ahead of the first Ashes Test in Perth, beginning on November 21. Who will partner Usman Khawaja has been one of the most interesting decisions for the Australian selectors. 

Konstas is the incumbent opener with Khawaja, playing all three Test matches in Australia’s tour of the West Indies in July. 

The NSW batter made his Test debut in Melbourne last summer, scoring a breathtaking 60 in his first innings, but has managed only a further 103 runs in his next nine Test innings.

Queensland duo Matthew Renshaw and Marnus Labuschagne have both made promising starts to the Australian domestic season, putting themselves in line for potential Ashes selections this summer. 

Batting at three in the Queensland order, Labuschagne is the leading run scorer across the opening two rounds with 337 runs. 

Renshaw opened the batting for Queensland with Khawaja in its second round match against Tasmania, scoring 128.

ABC/AAP