Cameron Green: The New Australian Cricket Promise Ready for Debut
The 21-year-old Western Australian
allrounder Cameron Green is set to make his debut for the Australian cricket team at the Adelaide Oval. It is expected to be one of the most anticipated appearances in recent times. Here are some details about him.
How has your career been so far?
In first-class cricket, he has been outstanding. Green has accumulated five centuries in 21 matches, including a top score of 197 runs earlier this season against New South Wales. The most recent was against the Indians last week, with a batting average of 55.04. A game against Queensland at the Gabba in November 2019 demonstrated his potential with the bat, scoring 87 and 121 runs not out in 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, where 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 made his ODI debut a couple of weeks ago, but has only played in a handful of matches: nine in List A and T20. It is with the red (and pink) ball that he is generating great expectation.
Are there high expectations?
You could say so. Greg Chappell has called him “the best since Ricky Ponting” in recent interviews. In June, when there was no cricket, the scenario of Australia playing Tests and T20Is on the same day was raised, and Chappell directly 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 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
What happened with the recent 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 due to concussion, as well as 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 he will comply with all Cricket Australia protocols to be able to debut.
Is he the allrounder Australia has dreamed of?
Maybe, 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 hasn’t 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 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.”
Did your debut come sooner than expected?
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 favored 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 injuries to 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’s not to say that Green doesn’t deserve it. With the current form, it could easily be said that he is among Australia’s top six batsmen, with Justin Langer and national selector Trevor Hohns, who have said that he is worthy of being selected just for his batting.
