ADELAIDE, Oct 25 AAP - The man widely regarded as Australian cricket's brightest young batting prospect would have stamped himself in the minds of Test selectors with an aggressive century for NSW on the opening day of the Pura Cup match against South Australia at Adelaide Oval today.

Former Australian under-19 skipper Michael Clarke was eventually stumped from off-spinner John Davison's bowling on the final ball of the day for 129.

His knock included 20 boundaries in 281 minutes and steered the Blues to 5-326 in their first innings at stumps.

Determined former Australian Test opener Michael Slater, batting at No.6 in his first Pura Cup match of the season, was still at the crease on 111 at the close of play after the pair shared an entertaining partnership of 214 for the fifth wicket.

For Clarke, it was his second century in two Pura Cup innings so far this season, having scored a career-best 134 against Queensland at the Gabba last week.

It would have sent a timely message to selectors, scheduled to meet on Monday to pick a side for the first Ashes Test, with Clarke rated an outside chance of selection if it is decided it is time to blood a young batsman.

But Clarke, 21, said he was not losing any sleep over speculation that he was under serious consideration for a Test berth.

"Obviously I'm happy that they're talking good things about me and not bad, but that's the least of my worries at the moment, I'm trying to do really well for the Blues and trying to score as many runs as I can," Clarke said.

"There's nothing to suggest I have to worry about anything, or get too far in front of myself."

Ironically, it was the man generally regarded as the next batsman in line for a Test call-up, SA skipper Darren Lehmann, who gave Clarke his chance to shine today when he elected to send the Blues in after winning the toss.

It paid early dividends for the Redbacks, with openers Matthew Phelps (22), and Corey Richards (16), as well as Michael Bevan (15) all dismissed in the opening session to leave NSW in a vulnerable position at 3-85 at lunch.

Pacemen Paul Rofe, Michael Miller, and Mark Harrity took a wicket each in the opening session, with Harrity's short, sharp ball which had Bevan caught behind a highlight.

NSW skipper Simon Katich (27) was then caught at backward point shortly after lunch from a poorly executed, top-edged cut shot off Davison's bowling to leave the Blues at 4-112.

But Clarke and Slater rescued NSW with a fast-paced and hard-hitting partnership.

The pair were particularly severe on SA spinners Davison and Mark Higgs, at one stage belting 40 runs from four overs of spin to take the score to 4-273 from 80 overs, before Lehmann chose to revert to his pace bowlers and take the new ball.

Slater and Clarke looked in danger of throwing away their wickets at times with a few rash strokes and edging deliveries past the slip cordon several times as well as each being dropped once.

Higgs put down a difficult diving chance at second slip from Greg Blewett's bowling when Clarke was on 74.

Ryan Harris spilled an equally difficult chance at midwicket from a firmly struck Slater pull shot off Higgs' bowling when the batsman was on 71.

© 2002 AAP

This report does not necessarily represent the views of the Australian Cricket Board.