Cameron Bancroft has scored a timely century in Sheffield Shield as he fights to regain a spot in the Test squad this summer.

The 32-year-old had been battling for runs in recent months, dropping out of the race to open the batting for Australia in their five-game series against India.

Bancroft was overlooked for the opening game in Perth, with selectors opting to blood debutant Nathan McSweeney at the top of the order.

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After being dismissed for a golden duck in the first innings of Western Australia’s clash against South Australia, Bancroft bounced back to reach triple-figures in the second.

Bancroft finished 105 not out from 255 deliveries before WA declared at 3-243, setting the Redbacks a lofty total of 364 runs to win on the final day of play.

The opener was well-supported by Jayden Goodwin, who scored a century in the first dig and backed it up with a composed 69 in the second.

He wasn’t the only Test hopeful to score runs this week in the first-class competition, with Marcus Harris making 62 for Victoria and Kurtis Patterson with 99 for NSW.

It comes as the pressure on the Aussie top-order is mounting after a tumultuous loss at Optus Stadium, with the likes of Marnus Labuschagne and Usman Khawaja failing to fire.

Head coach Andrew McDonald has confirmed the squad won’t change for the second Test at Adelaide Oval, but Bancroft’s return to form can’t hurt his chances of a recall.

The right-hander hasn’t played Test cricket since the 2019 Ashes series.

Bancroft was the leading run-scorer for the past two seasons at Shield level before starting the 2024/25 campaign in a major drought.