Shield ton might not be enough: Burns

A message was sent loud and clear from Test hopeful Joe Burns to Australian national selectors on Wednesday: I 'm back.

Axed during the recent Test tour of Sri Lanka, Queensland's Burns bounced back with a magnificent 129 against a world-class NSW attack in the day-night Sheffield Shield clash at the Gabba.

Burns also shared a 166-run second wicket stand with fellow Test hopeful Usman Khawaja (79).

Quick Single: Burns defies Starc with Gabba ton

However, Burns believes he is still back in the queue behind incumbent opener Shaun Marsh ahead of next week's first Test against South Africa in Perth.

"It's hard to say," Burns said of his chances of being named in the Test side on Friday.

"I am not an incumbent Test opener.

"There is a queue and all I can do is make runs."

Khawaja claimed he and Burns were made to be the "scapegoats" of the failed Sri Lankan Test tour by "fickle" selectors.

Burns said he was not concerned whether the words would come back to haunt them at the selectors' table.

"In the Sri Lankan series I didn't play well enough," Burns said.

"I just had to learn as much as I could from the experience.

"But it's satisfying to bounce back in my first Shield game."

Convinced he had not dislodged opener Marsh, Burns also ruled out the chance of batting down the Test order.

"I have been picked for Australia on my performances as an opener," he said.

Burns stroked 15 fours and a six in his five and a half hour knock before being trapped lbw by Test quick Josh Hazlewood (4-70).

Meanwhile, Marsh struck an important 73 on Tuesday for Western Australia, simultaneously proving his fitness after tearing his hamstring during the Matador Cup.