Cameron Green: The New Star of Australian Cricket Debuts in Adelaide
The young all-rounder from Western Australia, 21-year-old Cameron Green, is set to make his Australia debut at the Adelaide Oval. His anticipated debut is one of the most anticipated in recent times. Here’s a profile of this promising player.
Highlighted Career
Green’s first-class cricket career has been outstanding. He has five centuries in 21 matches, including a career-high 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 ability 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 career-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 he 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 expectation.
Great Expectations
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.
“For me, Cameron Green is the next Australian cricket superstar,” Chappell said. “He’s 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
The Concern About the Injury
There was a moment of tension when he received a blow to the head from a Jasprit Bumrah delivery at the SCG. He was taken off the field with a concussion and underwent tests that ruled out fractures. Fortunately, the blow did not cause major damage, and it seems he will comply with Cricket Australia’s protocols to be able to debut.
The Dream Off-Roader?
It may be, but with caution. He has had restrictions on his bowling load 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 his wicket-taking ability: 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 a bit 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. In fact, just a few weeks ago it seemed unlikely that he would be part of the XI at the start 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 by 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.
