Cameron Green: The New Australian Cricket Star Debuts in Adelaide
The 21-year-old all-rounder, Cameron Green, from Western Australia, is set to debut for Australia at the Adelaide Oval. His first appearance is one of the most anticipated in recent times. Here is a profile of this promising player.
Professional Career
In first-class cricket, Green has demonstrated 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. A match against Queensland at the Gabba in November 2019 revealed his potential with the bat, scoring 87 and 121 runs not out, batting in positions 8 and 9. This was also the last match in which he bowled for a year. With the ball, he averages 21.72 runs for his 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. Although his career in the white ball format does not stand out as much, he debuted in ODIs a couple of weeks ago, but has only played a few matches: nine in List A and T20. It is with the red (and pink) ball that he is generating excitement.
Great Expectations
Greg Chappell has called him the “best since Ricky Ponting.” In a simulation, Chappell selected him at number 6 in the Test team.
“For me, Cameron Green is the next Australian cricket superstar,” Chappell said. “He’s a real 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
Concern About the Recent Injury
A worrying moment was when Green received a blow to the head from a Jasprit Bumrah delivery at the SCG. He had to leave the field and was substituted for concussion, in addition to undergoing tests that ruled out any fractures. Fortunately, the blow did not cause major damage, and it seems that he will comply with Cricket Australia’s protocols to be able to debut.
The All-Terrain Vehicle Dreamed of by Australia?
Perhaps, but with caution. This has nothing to do with his talent, but with the restrictions on his release due to a stress fracture in his back that he suffered last year. He has worked on his action with WA bowling coach Matt Mason, and so far has 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 took two in the second innings against the Indians at Drummoyne Oval and made an excellent play to dismiss Shubman Gill before his injury at the SCG.
Tim Paine also suggested that the bowling restrictions would be relaxed. “I think he’ll bowl a few more than that, once you’re selected in a Test match, you’re ready to play. That said, we don’t expect him to bowl a huge amount of overs with the attack we have.”
An Early Debut?
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 included in the expanded squad. The preferred strategy was for Australia to maintain its traditional balance of six batsmen, a wicketkeeper, and four bowlers. However, plans were recently altered due to injuries to Warner and Pucovksi, which led Australia to reorganize the batting order (at least for one test) and created the opportunity at number 6. This is not to say that Green doesn’t deserve it. Based on his current form, it could easily be said that he is among Australia’s top six batsmen, and both Justin Langer and national selector Trevor Hohns have said that he deserves to be selected based on his batting alone.
