The young all-rounder from Western Australia, 21-year-old Cameron Green, is set to debut for Australia at the Adelaide Oval. His anticipated debut generates great expectation among fans. Here are some details about this promising player.
Highlighted Career
Green’s first-class cricket career has been outstanding. He has accumulated five centuries in 21 matches, including a top score of 197 runs at the start of this season against New South Wales. His batting average is 55.04. In a match against Queensland at the Gabba in November 2019, he demonstrated his potential with the bat, scoring 87 and 121 runs not out, batting at positions 8 and 9. That 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. His career in the white-ball format is not as prominent, although he made his ODI debut 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 he is generating great enthusiasm.
Great Expectations
Greg Chappell has called him the “best since Ricky Ponting” in recent interviews. In June, Chappell selected him at number 6 in the test team.
For me, Cameron Green is the next Australian cricket superstar. He is a true promise 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 to bat 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
Recent scare due to injury
It was a worrying moment when he was hit on the head by a Jasprit Bumrah delivery at the SCG. He immediately left the field and was substituted, in addition to undergoing scans that ruled out any fractures. Fortunately, the blow did not cause major damage (unlike Will Pucovski, Green has no history of concussions) and it seems that he will comply with all Cricket Australia protocols to be able to debut.
The all-terrain vehicle dreamed of by Australia?
Perhaps, but with caution. This has nothing to do with talent, but he has had restrictions on the number of deliveries 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 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 the 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 also suggested that the bowling restrictions would be relaxed. “I think he’ll bowl some 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.”
Early debut?
In a way, yes. In fact, just a few weeks ago it seemed unlikely that he would be part of the starting eleven at the beginning of the series despite having been named in the expanded squad. The preferred route was for Australia to maintain its traditional balance of six batsmen, a wicketkeeper and four bowlers. However, recently plans have been altered due to the injuries of Warner and Pucovksi, which has led Australia to reorganize the batting order (at least for one test) and that has created the opening at number 6. That is not to say that Green does not deserve it. Based on 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.
