Aussie cricket great Simon O'Donnell has applied the blowtorch to Cameron Green, asking if the all-rounder has done enough to earn his spot in Australia's Test side. Green is seen as the future of Aussie cricket and has been an automatic selection over the last 12 months.
The 23-year-old has played 16 Test matches to date with a respectable average of 33.50. He also has 18 wickets to his name at an average of 35.44.
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Green made 228 runs against England in the Ashes series last summer at a clip of 32.57, while also taking 13 wickets at 15.76. But it's been a different story this summer against the West Indies and South Africa, with the West Australian making just 32 runs at 10.67 and taking two wickets.
With Australia's top order plundering the runs for fun in a 2-0 whitewash against the West Indies, Green wasn't really required with the bat. He didn't get to come to the crease at all in the first Test in Perth before making just 9 and 5 in the second Test in Adelaide.
Against South Africa at the Gabba he made 18 in the first innings before finishing 0 not out in the second. And while his limited opportunities probably explain the dip in form, O'Donnell has asked whether there are other batters around the country more deserving of Green's spot at No.6.
“Is there a better option at six?” O’Donnell asked on SEN radio on Friday. “You could argue there are three or four guys putting their hands up saying, ‘Yes I can bat in the top six for Australia’.
“[But] I think they’d be more valuable at four and five, so that spot is there for Cam Green. I don’t think anyone is shovelling him out the door saying, ‘I must come into that XI’."
O'Donnell, who played six Tests and 87 one-day internationals for Australia as an all-rounder, said he wants to see Green given the ball more. He added: "I want to see him earn that spot in the XI and to do that as a genuine all-rounder, which they seem to be saying, ‘That’s why he’s going to be a such a valuable player for Australia going forward’, I want to see him bowl more.
“I don’t want to see six overs and four overs, enough of the physical challenges he has faced, at some stage you’ve got to get over those. He has to be part of that pace battery, because if we’re going to have a different balanced team when Starc retires and Cummins retires and Hazlewood retires, well Green is a really important part of that."
The last time Green had a long stint in the middle in Test cricket was when he scored 79 against Sri Lanka in Galle back in July. But despite his lack of involvement this summer, the 23-year-old said he's in a good place physically and mentally.
"It has definitely been a weird start to the summer for myself, not having to do too much," he said on Thursday. "Being the all-rounder you are kind of like the guy to help out if the team needs.
"At the moment it feels like I am not really needed in a way, but that is obviously a sign of how well we are playing. As a teammate watching how well the guys are playing, it is pretty awesome to see.
"Batting-wise at training I am hitting the ball well. If you don't get much game time that is the only way you can tell how you are going."
Despite his lack of contributions with bat and ball, Green has been a revelation in the gully. He took two very sharp catches in the first Test against South Africa to dismiss Sarel Erwee twice. "He is brilliant in that region," Adam Gilchrist said in commentary for Fox Sports.
with AAP
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