Hughes in contention for Australia

Phil Hughes scored 151 runs against Tasmania yesterday

Cricket Australia’s national selection panel chairman Andrew Hilditch has given the strongest indication yet that 20-year-old opener Phil Hughes will be included for the tour of South Africa next month.

The New South Wales opener plundered 151 runs against Tasmania yesterday in the Sheffield Shield, his fourth century this season, to take his first-class average to 67.41 for the summer.

While Phil Jaques and Victoria’s Chris Rogers are also in the mix to partner Simon Katich at the top of the Australia order following Matthew Hayden's retirement, Hilditch indicated that Hughes was firmly in the selectors' calculations for the return three-Test series against the Proteas.

“He (Hughes) is a very exciting prospect and has been since he entered the scene," Hilditch said.

“He's a young kid who is up the top of the order and performing week-in, week-out, so obviously we're interested in him.

“As for where he sits for South Africa, we are going to have to discuss that on Wednesday.”

Hilditch admitted he has been impressed by Hughes’ ability to produce under pressure at such a young age and conceded his glittering summer has gone a long way to strengthen his chances for a call-up to the Test squad.

“I think if you are scoring runs around the country that helps your cause,” he said.

“But he seems to be able to do it under pressure, he scored a hundred in a Shield final (last season) which was a really good hundred.”

But Hilditch insisted Hughes' passage to the Test team is far from certain and that Jaques, who made his first-class return against the Tigers after back surgery in October, is under serious consideration as well.

“He (Hughes) is an exciting young player, but there are other good players, and Phil Jaques who has the record on the board as well,” Hilditch said in reference to the 29-year-old's three centuries and six fifties from just 19 Test innings.

The Australia Test team has become accustomed to members aged in their late 20s to 30s in recent years but that factor will not impact on a potential tap on the shoulder for Hughes.

“I think you're ready when you're ready, whatever your age is,” Hilditch said.

“So if we make the assessment he's ready to go for Test cricket, his age won't come into it."