It took just over one session of the Sheffield Shield season for national selectors to be delivered sobering reminder how much Australia's short-term future rests on the shoulders of Steve Smith and David Warner.
Discussion about the pink ball being trialled in the day/night opening round of the domestic first-class season faded momentarily into the background as a string of Test aspirants stumbled. There was also a scare for Warner, who was in notable discomfort after he was hit on the thumb by South Australia leggie Adam Zampa in Adelaide, though he completed his innings. 
The country's future Test stars were supposed to be delivering compelling closing arguments in front of Rod Marsh's four-man jury but instead fluffed their lines, giving fans of Australian cricket a strong reason to yearn for the past. By the time lunch was served at the three Shield venues, Cam Bancroft, Shaun Marsh and Joe Burns were back in the pavilion with the rest of the day to stew over their cheap dismissals. They were joined not long after the interval by the unlucky Usman Khawaja, who has spent much of his career on the fringe of the Test side. 
How costly those missed opportunities are will become apparent in the ensuing 48 hours when they learn from the chairman of selectors if they have made Australia's squad for the first Test against New Zealand.
The quartet, fighting for two vacant slots in Australia's top six, could take a leaf out of the book of prolific veterans Adam Voges and Michael Klinger, who gave selectors a timely message that age should not count against them. Or perhaps they could follow the examples of their national leaders Smith and Warner, who can head to Brisbane comfortable with the state of their games after hitting half-centuries.
But it's the issue of who should come into the Test side which will be deliberated at length by Marsh, Trevor Hohns, Mark Waugh and Darren Lehmann. Bancroft had been viewed as the favourite to partner Warner at the top of the order but after a strong start to the Matador Cup he has left the door ajar for his Test debut to be delayed.
The 22-year-old West Australian had reached 10 before being enticed forward by a well pitched up delivery from James Faulkner and being caught behind. The manner of his dismissal will have Black Caps left-armer Trent Boult licking his lips should the youngster debut in Brisbane.
Burns, fresh off a century in Canberra, missed a huge opportunity to apply serious pressure on selectors, making 25 before being bowled by a slider from Victoria's leg-spinner Fawad Ahmed. Marsh, who fell out of favour in England, picked the wrong ball from Jackson Bird to cut and was caught in the gully for 15.
Khawaja, tipped to be given another shot at the important No.3 position, reached 21 before falling victim to the combination of John Hastings and Matthew Wade though there was conjecture whether he had actually hit the ball.
Voges was on track for another Shield century at tea, strengthening his claims to remain in the side. Selectors signalled their intentions with Voges when they made him retire on 33 for the Cricket Australia XI and it will be a shock if he is dumped this week.
The most encouraging sign for selectors was the impressive return made by Warner. Playing in his first match since breaking his thumb eight weeks ago, the Test vice-captain made 77 off 114 balls batting for the best part of two sessions.