Prime Minister Anthony Albanese hopes David Warner's last stand can mirror those of Steve Waugh, Shane Warne and Glenn McGrath as the Australian opener prepares for an SCG farewell.
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Warner is closing in on his retirement date with the 37-year-old poised to walk away from Test cricket at the end of a three-match Test series against Pakistan.
Manuka Oval has become the site of a shootout which could determine his replacement with Cameron Bancroft, Matt Renshaw and Marcus Harris playing for the Prime Minister's XI against Pakistan.
Bancroft has emerged as the favourite to replace Warner following a stellar Sheffield Shield campaign for Western Australia, scoring 512 runs at an average of 56.88 with two centuries.
But there is a sense Australian selectors could look within the current Test squad, with Warner's retirement leaving a void before a two-Test series against the West Indies and a tour of New Zealand.
Warner has been at the centre of uproar in Australian cricket following Mitchell Johnson's controversial newspaper column, which accused his former teammate of disrespecting Australian cricket by nominating his retirement date.
![Anthony Albanese with the Prime Minister's XI. Picture by Keegan Carroll Anthony Albanese with the Prime Minister's XI. Picture by Keegan Carroll](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/36vwtM5n3dmMVgNPycRBEHz/3e948152-82f0-437a-97ea-38e866233897.jpg/r0_211_5000_3033_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
But Albanese hopes Warner can finish on a high in Sydney, much like McGrath, Warne and Justin Langer did when Australia capped off an Ashes whitewash against England in January 2007.
"Well, Matty Renshaw scored a ton here last year in the PM's XI and of course, he went to the Ashes and he's a great player," Albanese said on Fox Sports.
"It's great that Cameron Bancroft's already having a great season in the Shield and to follow up on last year's season, which was outstanding.
"Davey Warner has said that he'll depart the Test scene after the Sydney Test, let's hope it can be as good as the farewells we've seen over the years at the SCG of Steve Waugh, Shane Warne and Glenn McGrath and others.
"I hope Davey has a fantastic third Test versus Pakistan there and then, obviously if not beforehand, there is a spot available."
The PM's XI batters will get their chance on Thursday after Pakistan finish day one at 6-324.
New Pakistan captain Shan Masood fired a warning shot to Australia's bowling corps with a brilliant unbeaten century after winning the toss.
In his first innings since assuming the captaincy, he stylishly cruised to 156 not out at stumps on day one.
He brought up his century with a clever sweep off Todd Murphy's bowling in Wednesday's final session and opened his shoulders late, with Sarfaraz Ahmed (41) also chipping in.
South Australian speedster Jordan Buckingham was the pick of the PM's bowlers and finished with 3-63 off 17 overs, delivering just days after being called into the side to replace injured Michael Neser.
But cheap wickets prevented the tourists from an even more dominant day, with Manuka's flat pitch and hot conditions offering little respite for bowlers.
Star man Babar Azam tickled a Buckingham delivery down the leg side and into the gloves of keeper Jimmy Peirson after a 92-run stand with Masood.
They'd earlier lost opener Adbullah Shafique (38) in similarly soft fashion, lazily pushing a Mark Steketee (1-43) delivery to short cover.
Saud Shakeel (13) was another to fall without much resistance, chopping on a plain Murphy delivery.
The soft dismissals were not what the side needed as they prepare to face world Test champions Australia in Perth starting next week.
Buckingham removed the other opener Imam-ul-Haq for nine, with a beautiful delivery that jagged back off a length and found an inside edge.
Six-Test spinner Murphy (1-90 off 22 overs) wasn't at his best, bowling too short at times.