After meagre showings from Test rivals Marcus Harris and Sam Konstas in their own Shield fixtures this week, Bancroft looked set for the chance to bat WA to victory on day four at the WACA Ground and finish the week as Australia's form opening option.
The 10-time Test player, one of the Shield's most prolific run-scorers in recent years, had already been singled out by chief selector George Bailey as a leading candidate to replace the injured Cameron Green in the XI for the five-Test series with India.
But as his side chased only 83 runs for victory Wednesday, Bancroft (two from 16 deliveries) holed out to Kieran Elliott, who ran to take a screamer of a catch at fine leg during the first session.
Bancroft lasted only two-and-a-half overs and has now managed just 10 runs from four Shield innings this summer for an average of only 2.5.
It will have been cold comfort for the 31-year-old that his WA teammates reported similar batting struggles to their Tasmanian rivals, who were skittled for 137 earlier in the day.
Bancroft's would-be Test teammate Mitch Marsh continued the trend of Australia's incumbent players struggling with the bat to begin the summer.
Marsh clipped Elliott to Charlie Wakim at third slip for a run-a-ball six, before fellow allrounder Aaron Hardie was also caught behind from the same paceman.
Elliott's third wicket left WA in serious danger, at 4-18, of butchering their simple run chase.
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