Thank goodness it wasn't a selection trial.
Andrew Tye appeared to miss a golden chance to stake a claim for Saturday's Twenty20 international against South Africa after being shown no mercy in the Proteas' tour match in Brisbane.
The usually economical Tye was thrashed around Allan Border Field on Wednesday, finishing with 0-55 off four overs for Cricket Australia XI as South Africa cruised to a 41-run win.
Chasing the Proteas' 5-201, CA XI were restricted to 7-160 after Alex Ross top scored with 40 off 35 balls and impressive teenager Max Bryant stroked 36 from 22.
It was not a good look for Tye who had hoped to impress selectors before this weekend's one-off T20 on the Gold Coast.
But fellow Australian T20 quick Jason Behrendorff believed the tour match would not be a factor when the team was picked for Saturday's clash.
Behrendorff, Tye and Ben McDermott were the only members of the current Australian T20 squad who featured for CA XI.
"I don't think it was a selection trial to be fair," said Behrendorff, who took 1-25 for CA XI.
"This (tour match) was just something that was already on the radar."
Tye will be keeping his fingers crossed selectors turn a blind eye to the tour match after the Proteas took a liking to the 31-year-old on Wednesday.
At one stage Aiden Markram (45 off 26 balls) struck two sixes and two fours in the space of eight balls off the usually tidy Tye.
Farhaan Behardien provided an exclamation point when he pummelled two sixes off Tye in their innings' final over.
It was harsh treatment for Perth Scorchers spearhead Tye, who has never conceded 50 runs in a Big Bash League game.
CA XI teammate Behrendorff said the Proteas may have been out to test Tye ahead of Saturday's T20.
"That could be part of it. Also he generally bowls in the middle or at the death when blokes are going pretty hard," he said.
"It is one of those things, if you miss your length by a small amount it can go a long away, we saw that with a few of their guys getting onto a few."
Switch hitting Heinrich Klaasen (41 from 23) and Reeza Hendricks (39 from 38) also impressed for the Proteas after they opted to rest captain Faf du Plessis and David Miller.
Australian Associated Press
