Matured Handscomb ripe for the picking

While he might not be a household name just yet, Victorian Peter Handscomb has steadily climbed the ranks of Australian cricket for more than seven years.

One of possibly four players to make his Test debut against South Africa next week, Handscomb was today rewarded for his timely double century against NSW on Thursday and Friday, named in Australia's squad for the third Commonwealth Bank Test against South Africa.

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While some Test debuts seemingly come from nowhere – like that of his new Test teammate Matt Renshaw – Handscomb has followed a familiar path to a Baggy Green.

An Australian Under-19 representative at 18, a rookie-contracted player at 20 and, on Thursday, Australia's 447th Test cricketer at 25, Handscomb has long seemed destined for the top level.

But that's not to say he's had it all his own way.

In 2009, the right-hander played four matches for the Australia Under-19s team against Sri Lanka's Under-19s in Darwin, posting underwhelming scores of 5, 14, 38 and 9 alongside new Test teammate Nic Maddinson as well as Adam Zampa and Sean Abbott.

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Two years later he made his first-class debut for Victoria, scoring 71 and 2 at first-drop behind Test players Chris Rogers and Rob Quiney against Queensland at the Gabba.

He played seven matches in his debut season and posted his maiden first-class century in just his third outing, a polished 113 against South Australia in Adelaide.

But in the following two seasons, he played 18 Shield matches for the Vics without adding a ton, frustratingly making eight half-centuries with a top score of 94.

But his breakthrough season came in 2014-15 when he emphatically ended his century drought with three hundreds, averaging 53.91 and scoring 48 in Victoria's Shield final win over Western Australia in Hobart.

He then spent the winter of 2015 in India with Australia A, where he posted scores of 91, 0 and 0, and in England with county side Gloucestershire, averaging 40.27 in seven first-class matches with four half-centuries.

It was while he was in Bristol that the St Kilda product was drafted into Australia's one-day squad to face England, further recognition of his ability with the bat and his promise as a future star, even if he couldn't break into the XI.

He posted three more centuries last summer in another successful Shield season for the Bushrangers, including a match-winning double of 112 and 61 not out in the final, before taking his next big step when he was named Australia A captain against India A and South Africa A in Queensland this past winter.

And leadership sat well with the young skipper, named man-of-the-match in two of the three matches he played, the highlight being the 137 he scored against the South Africans with selector Mark Waugh in the stands.

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Then last Thursday, with a Test spot on the line and Waugh again watching on, he grabbed his opportunity with both hands by scoring 110 not out on day one before adding another 115 on Friday.

"To be honest there’s always going to be pressure on any player who plays for Australia or plays for Victoria," Handscomb told reporters in Sydney of his elevation to the Test side.

"Whenever you go out to play cricket there’s pressure there. I’m not too worried.

"I’m just happy there’s an opportunity there and I can take it and if I don’t then I’ll come back and do it again."

His knock at the SCG lasted almost eight hours, which is more time than Australia's entire team spent at the crease across two innings of the second Test in Hobart.

Quick Single: Classy Handscomb continues pink-ball form

Australia skipper Steve Smith – the bowler who ultimately ended Handscomb's masterful innings at the SCG – has called for his players to show more fight, adaptability and resilience.

And having succeeded in three continents in the past two years, leading Australia A to victory and showing an ability to bat for long periods of time against a quality attack, Handscomb appears to have done everything his new captain has asked.

"I'd love to take the opportunity and get out there and give it a crack at the next level," he said on Friday.

"But having never been there I can't tell you whether I'll be any good or not, but I'd love to give it a crack."

After a long wait, Handscomb's "crack" at the big time is now just four days away.

MEET AUSTRALIA'S FOUR NEW FACES

• Matt Renshaw. 20. Left-hander, averages 41 from 11 first-class games with two centuries. Yorkshire-born, moved to New Zealand aged seven, then Australia age 11. Queensland's leading Sheffield Shield run-scorer last season.
• Nic Maddinson. 24. Left-hander, averages 38 from 58 first-class games for NSW. Played two Twenty20 games for Australia in 2013. Has made two tons and an 86 in domestic cricket this season.
• Peter Handscomb. 25. Right-handed Victorian averaging a tick over 40 from 61 first-class games, nine centuries. Son of British parents, holds a British passport but has been in Australia's system since under 19s.
• Chadd Sayers. 29. Medium-fast bowler in the Alderman mould. Has taken 184 wickets at 23.80 in 46 first-class matches. Renowned for making the ball swing at Adelaide Oval.