England are becoming sick of the sight of Phil Jaques after the Australian Test opener-in-waiting's second consecutive century against the tourists playing for New South Wales here Sunday.
The left-hander followed up his 112 for the Prime Minister's XI against the tourists in Canberra on Friday with 107, as NSW made England's bowlers toil away on a docile SCG pitch.
Jaques was supported by fellow Test aspirants skipper Simon Katich (68) and Michael Clarke (50) as NSW reached stumps on the opening day of the three-day practice match at 325 for five.
At stumps, newcomer Daniel Smith was on 36 and teenager Moises Henriques was 25.
England encountered more road blocks as they tried to adjust to Australian pitch conditions ahead of the opening Ashes Test in Brisbane on November 23.
Jaques, who has played two Tests, continues to pressure incumbent Test opening pair Justin Langer and Matthew Hayden ahead of the first Test, and played a chanceless innings until he was caught by Steve Harmison at wide mid-off, off finger-spinner Ashley Giles.
He faced 157 balls with 11 boundaries and two sixes off James Anderson and Monty Panesar and put on 155 runs for the second wicket with Katich in as many minutes.
"The two guys (Langer and Hayden) who are there are fantastic players so that's a decision the selectors have to make and I'm expecting that they will go with them two," Jaques said.
"That's my expectations of where I stand at the moment.
"All I can do is keep scoring runs and just keep knocking on the door and hopefully through injury or loss of form they'll look at me."
England had meagre pickings in the first two sessions as NSW chugged along at more than four runs an over, but the bowlers stuck at it and tightened their line in the last session to keep a check on the scoring. Giles finished with 2-46 off 15 overs with Harmison, James Anderson (1-45) and Monty Panesar all claiming a wicket each.
Test spearhead Harmison got the initial breakthrough when he bowled Ed Cowan for 26 in his fifth over.
Katich - who had a life on 14 when Marcus Trescothick put down a straight-forward chance at first slip off Andrew Flintoff - was out to a splendid outfield running catch by Kevin Pietersen.
Katich lofted Giles to deep mid-wicket, where Pietersen took a tumbling catch just inside the boundary rope. Katich batted for 194 minutes with six fours.
Anderson, who was knocked about early, bowled better in his second spell with the wicket of Aaron O'Brien for six, caught at first slip by Trescothick.
Clarke, who played in last year's Ashes series, looked composed in his knock of 50 before he edged Panesar to Trescothick at slip ending his 132-minute stay at the crease with six fours.
Flintoff got more encouragement in his comeback from ankle surgery to get through 15 overs without problems for 0-52.
Left-arm spinner Panesar, under-used in Canberra where he bowled just three overs, had an extended run Sunday, sending down 18 overs. He got a late reward with Clarke's wicket to finish with 1-54.
England and NSW have agreed to play 14 players during the three-day match - which will not have first-class status - but only 11 players a side can bat.
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