ASHTON AGAR during an Australian nets session at SCG in Sydney, Australia. Picture: Jason McCawley/Getty Images

Ashton Agar wants to move on from the frustration of losing his national contract as he keeps hope of one day reclaiming his spot in Australia's limited-overs team.

Agar was one of five players to drop out of Cricket Australia's 20-man contract list in April, after falling out of the one-day side following their flogging in England last year.

He is back in national colours this week in the same country, taking match-best figures of 3-55 in Australia A's one-day win over Northamptonshire on Thursday.

Fellow demoted West Australian Mitch Marsh is also on the tour, with the pair keen to put their name back in lights following the April setback.

"We've spoken about that," Agar said.

"We've had a coffee over it. Down in Cottesloe one day. We spoke about that. We were both frustrated with it.

"But we both realised there is no point living in the past.

"We can only do what we can do to get better now and stay hungry and be courageous and give it a crack."

Agar is learning to be courageous with the ball too.

With little assistance offered on either the English wickets for this tour or the ones back home, he has spent time working with Wayne Andrews and Craig Howard on putting more energy on the ball.

It paid dividends on Thursday, where he went for 0-28 off his first three overs and recovering.

"It's taking that stuff I have been working on and having the courage to apply it in a game sense," Agar said.

"It's just something I have realised in myself through playing all formats for Australia at a young age.

"I've learned that if you don't believe in yourself out there you've got nothing."

Agar got a taste of Australian action earlier in the week when he filled in at World Cup training as a closer for Shakib Al Hasan.

It's now six years since his breakthrough Test on debut at Trent Bridge, but he is eying a chance to impress and return to the national team after last playing a Twenty20 last October.

"I'm probably closer in white-ball cricket than I am the Test format," Agar said.

"It's a hard one really. I recently lost my contract and place in the Australian one-day side, so I am pretty keen to get back in there at some stage.

"The best thing to do is not really worry about that."