Kurtis Patterson says he feels far from settled in the NSW line up despite hitting an impressive Sheffield Shield century in his side’s clash with Queensland at the SCG.

Patterson scored 126 off 221 balls with NSW 6-386 at stumps on day three with a first innings lead of 118.

Opener Ryan Carters (178 off 406) and allrounder Sean Abbott (20) are the not out batsmen.

While persistent rain throughout the day has robbed NSW of the chance to chase a result, Patterson and fellow centurion Carters took the game away from the Bulls.

Patterson was not scheduled to play against the Bulls and was a last-minute replacement for Nic Maddinson, who withdrew because of the death of Phillip Hughes.

However it will now be difficult for coach Trevor Bayliss to drop Patterson after he posted his second first-class ton.

His only previous century came in 2011 when at just 18 years 206 days he became the youngest player to score a Shield century when he crunched 157 against Western Australia.

Quad and back injuries hampered the 21-year-old’s progress early in his career and it was not until last season that he begun to play regular Shield cricket.

He has played three of NSW’s first four games of the Shield season but said he did not yet feel like a fixture in the line up.

“I certainly haven’t cemented my spot in this team after last year or anything like that so it’s still a case of me earning my role in the middle order,” he said.

“Today was really good for me, not being picked originally in the 11, to go out and score a hundred.

“So hopefully that puts me in good stead after the Big Bash.”

After resuming on 89, Patterson signalled his intentions on the first ball of the day when he drove Cameron Boyce down the ground for four.

He brought up his century three overs later when he edged James Hopes just wide of first slip for four.

He was bowled by Hopes in the final session, shortly after the resumption of play following the third rain delay of the day.

On a day marred by constant bad weather, Carters brought up his highest first-class score late in the final session with his knock now spanning over two days.

After coming to the crease late on day one, his patient innings won’t hurt any longer term ambitions of playing for Australia, given he is also a handy wicketkeeper.

Queensland were dealt a blow when pacemen Ben Cutting and Luke Feldman did not take the field on day three because of groin strains.

The Bulls said they did not know how serious the pair’s injuries were.

The injuries to their two frontline bowlers left them with just one fast bowler – James Hopes (3-82 off 41 overs) – in their arsenal.