Haseeb Hameed failed to further his Test chances as he was dismissed for an 11-ball duck on the opening morning of England Lions' four-day clash with South Africa A.
Hameed is in contention to partner Alastair Cook at the top of England's order for the Test series against the Proteas' first string, beginning next month, but his miserable summer continued at Canterbury.
The 20-year-old's struggles allowed rivals Mark Stoneman and Keaton Jennings to enhance their claims for the opener's slot, with the pair making fifties as the Lions closed on 302 for seven after winning the toss.
Hameed was a rare bright spot for England during a chastening Test tour of India last winter but, having recovered from hand surgery that curtailed his involvement in the subcontinent, has struggled for form ever since.
A half-century in this season's Specsavers County Championship has eluded him while his edge into the slips off a wide delivery here was the fourth time this year he has failed to get off the mark.
Surrey's Stoneman and Lions captain Jennings, team-mates at Durham up until last year, batted well in a 105-run stand but while they were able to pass their half-centuries neither pushed on to make an irresistible case for senior selection.
Stoneman was first to go for 58 while Jennings made one run fewer as the Lions teetered on 144 for four, and they relied on an unbeaten 77 from highly-rated wicketkeeper-batsman Ben Foakes to end the day on a positive note.
Source: PA
