If one positive has come out of the rather underwhelming limited-overs series against Zimbabwe and New Zealand, followed by the T20 tour of India, it’s been the emergence of Cameron Green as an all-format beast.
We already know how good he is going to be in the longer format of the game but until these series we hadn’t really seen that huge potential translate into results in the coloured clothing. That has now changed.
A maiden five-wicket haul against Zimbabwe, followed by a match-winning 89 not out against New Zealand, suggested we were starting to see the emergence of a three-format star. That’s just been confirmed.
Having never opened the batting before in any form of domestic cricket, Aaron Finch and Andrew McDonald promoted the young all-rounder to the top of the order in the absence of David Warner.
What we saw were two outstanding innings of 61 off 30 balls and 52 off 21 balls, and some of the cleanest and most destructive striking I’ve seen in a long time. Those long levers took the likes of Jasprit Bumrah and Bhuvneshar Kumar to all parts, and at the very least should have certainly secured the big West Aussie a big pay day at the next IPL auction.
(Photo by Buddhika Weerasinghe/Getty Images)
However, it may have also created an awkward conundrum for Australia and their squad for the upcoming World Cup on home soil. Green isn’t in the squad, and that will now loom large over the rest of the build-up to the tournament.
Injured all-rounders Mitch Marsh and Marcus Stoinis are in the squad and will now be under huge pressure to perform strongly in the warm-up games against the West Indies and England, and by electing to open with Green, Finch has also placed himself under huge pressure, with a ready-made replacement waiting in the wings.
But, arguably, it shouldn’t even need to come to that. The Australian selectors have until October 9 to make a change and bring Green into the squad, and it should really be a no-brainer.
The selectors picked the squad before the start of the series in Cairns and Townsville and at the time they went off the information they had, and primarily backed in the same squad that won last year in the UAE, with the exception of inclusion Tim David, who also staked his claim in India.
They weren’t to predict the dramatic rise of Green would happen quite so fast, even though those in the know in Western Australia could’ve predicted it years ago. With this in mind the selectors shouldn’t be afraid to hurt feelings and put pride to one side.
They have a World Cup to win and Green is surely in the best possible XI Australia could field. In fact I’d go further than that, he may now be Australia’s most important player.
It’s a big call, but his bowling is streets ahead of Marsh or Stoinis, he is effectively a fifth front line bowler, which will allow the Australians to pick both Adam Zampa and Ashton Agar if conditions suit, whilst not dropping a batsman in the process.
He has also shown his versatility to bat anywhere in the order, his brutality up front in the powerplay has been impressive, but he equally has shown his middle over calmness and finishing qualities in ODI cricket. On top of this he is an absolute gun in the field.
You can bet your life that right now every other side in the World Cup is hoping Green doesn’t get a call-up to the Australian squad. He will add another dimension to the side that will go along way towards helping Australia defend the title on home soil.
With this in mind, here is my preferred T20 World Cup XI.
Warner
Green
M Marsh
Smith
Maxwell
David
Wade
Agar/Cummins
Starc
Hazelwood
Zampa
Other squad members: Finch, Inglis, Jhye Richardson
In: Green
Out: Stoinis
Unders
Roar Pro
I would say Maxwell is an easy omission at this rate if Green won't open (unlikely with this being a send-off tournament for Finch). Maxwell has been overhyped and overrated for some time now, don't remember him doing anything for Aus for a while now. Zampa and Agar are better bowlers too.
Ali
Guest
Agar and Richardson could have slogged a 52 as well hahaha...yeah sure,
Don Freo
Roar Rookie
I would not consider Cummins for this team. He just goes for runs. Agar must be selected to bowl in tandem with Zampa. Ellis bowls really well in this format. He is the contemporary version of Andrew Tye. His super-whippy action (like Bumrah) disguises his slower variations.
Don Freo
Roar Rookie
Yes. I was misquoted. I said he IS a level below. Give Agar or Jhye Richardson a chance to bat where David did the other day and they could have slogged a 52 as well. David struggled with his plodding 19 the innings before.
Don Freo
Roar Rookie
That's the reality. He'd be competing with Cartwright and Cartwright is in blistering form. When both players are at their best, Cartwright is the better player.
Don Freo
Roar Rookie
Ah...I hadn't thought about Green being left to play Shield cricket. Leave him out of the WC...let him help with WA's Shield title back to back.
La grandeur d'Athéna
Roar Rookie
I am not talking about Australia versus New Zealand or Zimbabwe. I am talking about the series they played against us. I found it a bit suspicious that Nathan Ellis, who was easily Australia's best bowler, and he also is a designated death over bowler, became injured after one game in Mohali. Okay, injury can happen. The replacement of that injury should have been like for like, Kane Richardson, who is in Australia's world cup squad. Yet Australia play Daniel Sams back to back matches who is not even in their world cup squad. Was he preparing for stand by squad while Kane Richardson was preparing for world cup by taking a vacation here? I also found it interesting that Aaron Finch took a few captaincy tips from our Rohit on how to lose a match. Cameron Green, playing his second game on a belter of a pitch in Mohali, went for a few, but bowled all four overs. In third match, he was bowling a dream spell with an economy rate of four, yet he bowls only three overs? Should i say suspicious? Or should i say interesting that Australia tried their best to lose?
13th Man
Roar Rookie
He plays proper cricket shots with his long levers and power. Nothing particularly unorthodox about how he bats.
13th Man
Roar Rookie
Think it has to be Finch realistically. Stoinis misses out for David and then the obvious spot for Green to bat is at the top of the order. Finch can be a non playing coach and still have an impact, but he is being immeasurably selfish if he is holding Green back from playing and using this World Cup as a farewell tour.
13th Man
Roar Rookie
Ok, Australia won, but apart from Green, and an innings each from Carey and Smith, there wasn't much to write home about. New Zealand were awful more than Australia being good, plus we lost a game to Zimbabwe.
13th Man
Roar Rookie
Stoinis wouldn't make the WA side at the moment let alone the Aussie team, in any format.
matth
Roar Guru
It will look a bit silly if we struggle to get off to good starts while Green is playing Sheffield Shield. As it stands it's entirely possible that our batting line up will be: Warner Finch Marsh Smith Maxwell Stoinis Wade and we leave both Green and David out. Imagine if we lose with that line up?
matth
Roar Guru
Isn't everyone better at the level below international level?
Tony
Roar Guru
Too true I'm afraid
13th Man
Roar Rookie
Kind of get the point, unfortunately the reality is it's here to stay though. He will get offered millions to play IPL so it's inevitable he will play it. We may as well get the benefit for Australia too.
Tony
Roar Guru
Why waste a talent like Green on rubbish like T20
13th Man
Roar Rookie
It's definitely an option, Smith and Maxwell are both horribly short of runs in recent times in t20 cricket.
Homer Nixon
Guest
I strongly disagree with your contradictory assessments on pitches, but you're bang on the money here. It's inexcusable he's not in the squad
Sgt Pepperoni
Roar Rookie
Credit to the selectors. There might be plenty of 'I told you so's' about but to put the kid in to open and have him dominate at the highest level took a stroke of selection boldness and it paid off
Doctor Rotcod
Roar Rookie
He doesn't do anything unorthodox. Just hits very very hard. One of his flat bat fours was one of the shots of the series. No danger at all. Only rose about three metres. He has shown that he can bat at a steady and matchwinning rate,witness his innings against the Bulls last SS season. Drop either Finch or Warner,I don't care.