Cameron Green: The New Promise of Australian Cricket
Cameron Green, the 21-year-old all-rounder from Western Australia, is set to debut for the Australian national team at the Adelaide Oval. His first appearance is one of the most anticipated in recent times. Here are some details about him.
Professional Career
In first-class cricket, Green has demonstrated exceptional 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.
In November 2019, in a match against Queensland at the Gabba, he demonstrated his batting ability, 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 has an average of 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 made his ODI debut a couple of weeks ago, but has only played in nine List A and T20 matches. 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 of the test team.
“For me, Cameron Green is the next Australian cricket superstar,” Chappell stated. “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 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
The Recent Injury
Green suffered a blow to the head from a Jasprit Bumrah delivery at the SCG. He had to leave the field and was substituted for concussion, but tests ruled out any fractures. Fortunately, the blow did not cause major damage and it seems he will be able to comply with Cricket Australia’s protocols for his debut.
The Dream Off-Roader?
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 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 ability to take wickets: he claimed two in the second innings against the Indians at Drummoyne Oval and produced a brilliant delivery 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 bit more of that, once you’re selected in a Test match, you’ll be ready to go. 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 extended 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 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 in the number 6 position. 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 Justin Langer and national selector Trevor Hohns have said that he is worthy of being selected just for his batting.
