The 21-year-old cricket player Cameron Green, originally from Western Australia, is ready to debut for Australia at the Adelaide Oval. His first appearance is one of the most anticipated in recent times. Here are some details about him.
Highlighted Career
In the realm of first-class cricket, his performance has been outstanding. He has scored five centuries in 21 matches, including a career-high of 197 earlier 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 achieved his best figures of 6 for 30 in 2018. Although his one-day career is not as prominent, he made his ODI debut a couple of weeks ago, although he has only participated in a handful of matches: nine in both List A and T20 categories. It is with the red (and pink) ball that he is generating great expectation.
Great Expectations
The renowned 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. 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 uncommon 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
Concern about Recent Injury
A worrying moment was when he received a blow to the head from a Jasprit Bumrah delivery at the SCG. He had to leave the field and was substituted from the match due to 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 be able to comply with all Cricket Australia protocols 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 release restrictions 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 still 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 also suggested that the bowling restrictions will be relaxed. “I think he’ll bowl a little bit more than that, once you’re selected in a Test match, you’re ready to play. That being said, we don’t expect him to bowl a huge amount of overs with the attack we’ve got.”
An Anticipated 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 named in the expanded squad. The preferred route was for Australia to maintain its traditional balance of six batsmen, a wicket keeper and four bowlers. However, plans have been recently 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 opportunity in the number 6 position. This is not to say that Green does not deserve it. According to his current form, it could easily be said that he is among the top six batsmen in Australia, and both Justin Langer and national selector Trevor Hohns have said that he is worthy of selection just for his batting.
