Kurtis Patterson gets Test summons as Australia scramble for runs at the top of the order

Patterson, 25, hit a pair of centuries in Sri Lanka's warm-up game against a Cricket Australia XI in Hobart last week, adding to a glut of runs for the left-hander in first-class cricket this season

Australia have turned to in-form New South Wales batsman Kurtis Patterson in their bid to shore up a fragile Test top order.

Patterson, 25, hit a pair of centuries in Sri Lanka's warm-up game against a Cricket Australia XI in Hobart last week, adding to a glut of runs for the left-hander in first-class cricket this season.

And it was enough for the selectors to choose to add him to a squad which already included seven other batting options.

"I feel at the top of my game to be honest," Patterson told reporters in Brisbane ahead of the day-night Test against Sri Lanka, which is due to begin on Thursday. 

"I feel like I'm hitting the ball as well as I ever have. Which makes this addition to the squad (a) really happy (one) for me. 

^{Kurtis Patterson is included in Australia's squad to face Sri Lanka}

"You want to be picked when you feel like you're playing well, and I feel like I am at the moment.

"Obviously there's some hard work to be done this week but if I get the opportunity this week I feel like I'll be ready for it.

"I like batting (at the Gabba). I think the last pink-ball game here I had some success, and we had a good win. It's just a great venue to bat. There's pace and bounce in it, but there's also value for shots. 

"Chances are they're going to have slips in for most of the game, so there's always going to be gaps in the field."

Patterson has a fine record against the pink ball, averaging 65 from 14 innings and having hit four centuries.

"Kurtis has been pushing his case for selection for some time, he has been a consistent top order player for New South Wales, was a member of the Australian A tour of India prior to the commencement of our summer, and was most recently selected to compete in the day night tour match against Sri Lanka in Hobart," chief selector Trevor Hohns said in a statement.

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