The 27-year-old, who has been hampered by a back injuries, was yesterday overlooked for a place in the New Zealand A team.
Provincial team-mate Neil Broom was named in the team and will get an opportunity to push for place in the test squad when New Zealand A plays the West Indies in a three-day game later this month.
The selectors have left a slot open in the test squad for one of the New Zealand A players to push their way in.
But Broom's way looks blocked with Canterbury's Henry Nicholls seemingly ensconced at No5.
Neesham, who has played 12 tests, 41 one-day internationals and 15 twenty20 internationals, is even further back in the field. He needs some big performances for Otago to capture the selectors' attention.
He is batting at No5 in the order and ahead of Otago player of the year Anaru Kitchen, who scored four first-class centuries last summer.
But while Neesham has been given a platform to shine, he is yet to take centre stage.
He has had a series of starts without going on and came unstuck on 28 during Otago's home Plunket Shield match against Central Districts yesterday.
He holed out on 28 trying to pull a ball to the ropes off Blair Tickner.
In seven innings, he has scored 151 runs at an average of 25.16. It is not the type of production which attracts much attention but he has shown some promising signs with ball.
He has picked up five wickets at an average of 19 and that will get noticed if his form with the ball continues.
