The young all-rounder from Western Australia, 21-year-old Cameron Green, is set to debut for Australia at the Adelaide Oval. This is one of the most anticipated first appearances in recent times. Here’s a little about him.
Outstanding Professional Career
In the realm of first-class cricket, Green has demonstrated outstanding 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. A match against Queensland at the Gabba in November 2019 was key, where he demonstrated his potential with the bat, scoring 87 and 121 runs not out, batting 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 an impressive 5 for 24 in his first-class debut against Tasmania, a team against which he also obtained his best mark of 6 for 30 in 2018. Although his career in white-ball cricket does not stand out as much, he made his ODI debut a couple of weeks ago, but has only participated in a handful of matches, nine in both List A and T20. It is with the red (and pink) ball that he is generating great expectation.
Great Expectations
Expectations for Cameron Green are high. Greg Chappell has called him “the best since Ricky Ponting” in recent interviews. In June, a scenario was developed of Australia playing both Tests and T20Is on the same day, where Chappell selected him at number 6 in the Test team.
For me, Cameron Green is the next Australian cricket superstar. He is a genuine prospect with the bat and ball, but I think his future is as a batsman who can offer some quality overs. He 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
Overcoming a Scare from Injury
There 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, in addition to undergoing scans that ruled out any fractures. Fortunately, the blow did not cause major damage 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 rather 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 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 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.”
An unexpected debut?
In a way, yes. In fact, 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 at number 6. 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 both Justin Langer and national selector Trevor Hohns have said that he is worthy of selection based on his batting alone.
