A Taylor Swift concert forced a shift from the Gabba but ex-Test opener Matthew Renshaw ensured the hits kept coming for Queensland in their Sheffield Shield clash with Western Australia in Brisbane.
Renshaw did his best to earn a national recall, stroking a classy 89 to help steer the Bulls to 4-269 at stumps on Saturday's opening day at Allan Border Field.
Charlie Hemphrey was not out 68 after a 77-run third-wicket stand with Renshaw.
The picturesque ground was forced to host the round-three Shield clash after the Gabba was shut down for US superstar Swift's Tuesday night gig.
But Renshaw had no complaints, savouring the flat deck to find form ahead of Australia's Test series next month against India.
After a double failure in his last match against South Australia, Renshaw took his time to find his feet before exploiting the wicket to hit 11 fours and two sixes.
He saved his most-explosive fireworks for leggie Usman Qadir, at one stage thrashing three-straight boundaries off Pakistan spin bowling great Abdul's son.
Renshaw, 22, failed to break back into the Test XI on Australia's ill-fated recent series against Pakistan in UAE after suffering a head knock in a tour match.
He played the last of his 11 Tests back in April, receiving a shock call-up and flight to South Africa moments after savouring Queensland's 2017-18 Shield title win in the wake of the infamous sandpaper-gate saga.
But Test selection seemed the last thing on Renshaw's mind.
"I just wanted to go out there, stay relaxed and try and score some runs, not put too much pressure on myself, just enjoy it," Renshaw said.
"You had to really take your time to score runs but it was a fun day out here."
He enjoyed a 90-run opening stand with fellow Test aspirant Joe Burns (49) before he fell short of his 11th first-class ton, trapped in front by Matthew Kelly by a ball that kept low.
Renshaw's knock lasted almost five hours.
The lanky left-hander had hoped to make selectors sit up and take notice with Australian opener Usman Khawaja (knee) under an injury cloud ahead of the first Test against India from December 6 in Adelaide.
Khawaja has undergone surgery and is hopeful of playing Queensland's Shield match against Victoria from November 27 to remain in the Test mix.
Jhye Richardson (2-34) was the pick of the WA bowlers while Queensland's incumbent Test batsman Marnus Labuschagne lasted only 14 balls before he was caught in the gully for 11.
The last-placed Bulls are desperate for their first win of the first class season after returning to Allan Border Field for the first time since claiming the 2017-18 Shield title.
