“I hope you don’t have aspirations to play at a higher level, mate,” was more or less the sledge from a cranky Mitchell Starc in the middle of the SCG.

Weeks after that encounter, 23-year-old opener Campbell Kellaway is increasingly viewed as someone who will play at a higher level soon enough.

Campbell Kellaway takes on Josh Hull’s bouncer on Saturday in Canberra.Credit: Getty Images

Especially if he keeps holding his own against short-ball barrages like Starc’s SCG assault earlier this month, and the ill-advised efforts of the England Lions’ fringe Test seamers at Manuka Oval on Saturday.

Kellaway built a fine knock of 82 for the PM’s XI (from a total of 8-308) against capped Test bowlers Josh Tongue, Matthew Potts and Josh Hull, continuing a run of form against quality attacks that includes an 88 against India A and a match-winning 147 against Tasmania.

The Victorian’s most impressive effort, though, may well have been a grafting 51 against Starc, Josh Hazlewood and Nathan Lyon at the SCG three weeks ago, when Starc “went in for the kill” after hitting Kellaway on the finger with........

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