The 21-year-old all-rounder, Cameron Green, from Western Australia, is set to debut for Australia at the Adelaide Oval. His much-anticipated debut has generated great expectation in the cricket world.
Highlighted Career
In first-class cricket, Green has shown outstanding performance. He has accumulated five centuries in 21 matches, including a career-high of 197 runs earlier this season against New South Wales. His batting average is 55.04. In a match against Queensland at the Gabba in November 2019, Green demonstrated his potential with the bat, scoring 87 and 121 runs not out, playing in positions 8 and 9. With the ball, he averages 21.72 with 33 wickets, including 5 for 24 in his first-class debut against Tasmania, against whom he also took his best figures of 6 for 30 in 2018. His career in the white-ball format does not stand out as much, although he debuted in ODIs a couple of weeks ago, but has only played a few matches, nine in both List A and T20.
It is with the red (and pink) ball that Green is generating great enthusiasm.
Great Expectations
For me, Cameron Green is the next Australian cricket superstar. He is a genuine prospect with the bat and ball, but I think his future is as a batsman who can offer some quality overs. Cameron is a batsman with exceptional talent. At 6 feet 7 inches, he could become something very special. I would put him at number 6 to start, but I think number 4 is his long-term position. The sooner he plays at this level, the sooner he will become the player he should be.
Greg Chappell
Greg Chappell has called him the “best since Ricky Ponting” in recent interviews. In June, Chappell selected him in the number 6 position in the test team.
Fright due to recent injury
Green suffered a blow to the head from a Jasprit Bumrah delivery. He was retired from the field with a concussion and underwent tests that ruled out any fractures. Fortunately, the blow did not cause major damage, and it seems he will comply with Cricket Australia’s protocols to debut.
The all-terrain vehicle that Australia has dreamed of?
Green has been limited in his bowling load due to a stress fracture in his back that he suffered last year. He has been working on his action with WA bowling coach Matt Mason and has so far been limited to four-over spells. This season he has not bowled more than eight overs in a day in match conditions. However, he has shown his ability to take wickets: he claimed two in the second innings against the Indians at Drummoyne Oval and produced a beauty to dismiss Shubman Gill before his injury at the SCG.
Tim Paine suggested that the bowling restrictions will be eased. “I think he’ll bowl a few more than that, once you’re selected in a Test match, you’re ready to play. Having said that, we don’t expect him to bowl a huge amount of overs with the attack we have.”
A debut earlier than expected?
In a way, yes. A few weeks ago it seemed unlikely that he would be part of the starting team at the beginning of the series despite having been named in the expanded squad. However, plans were altered by injuries to Warner and Pucovksi, which led Australia to reorganize the batting order (at least for one test) and that has created the opening at number 6. This is not to say that Green doesn’t deserve it. In his current form, it could easily be said that he is among Australia’s top six batsmen, and Justin Langer and national selector Trevor Hohns have said that he is worthy of being selected just for his batting.
