Green frustrated by stop-start summer but history shows patience will be rewarded with all-rounders

Cameron Green is in the midst of a frustrating summer but the young all-rounder, the Australian selectors and cricket fans will be rewarded if they’re patient.

The 23-year-old West Australian enters Monday’s second Test against South Africa looking to kick-start a summer which is yet to get out of first gear, for the main due to no fault of his own.

Green had to watch his top-order teammates score more than 1000 runs before he finally got a bat in the second of the two Tests against the West Indies.

Looking sluggish when he finally arrived at the crease, he was out cheaply for nine after crucifying Travis Head in a run-out mix-up when the South Australian was 175 at Adelaide Oval and made just  five in the second innings, perishing as quick runs were needed to set up the declaration.

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And then he was one of the many casualties of the Gabba minefield last weekend, battling his way to 18 before nicking an attempted cover drive to the slips cordon.

Cameron Green of Australia celebrates with teammates. (Photo by Chris Hyde/Getty Images)

He’s been used sparingly with the ball too, just three wicketless overs in Brisbane after sending down a combined 29 overs to snare two wickets in the Windies series.

After 17 matches, he’s yet to hit a century despite getting plenty of opportunities at No.6 and averaging an encouraging 32.82  while his bowling has yielded just 18 scalps at 36.55 as the Aussies use him in short bursts rather than overload his imposing but youthful frame.

Thrown into the Test arena as a 21-year-old against the might of India two years ago, he has passed 70 four times but his 84 in his debut series at the SCG remains his highest score. On the bowling front, he’s only taken more than two wickets in an innings once, his 3-21 from six overs in the final Ashes Test last summer in Hobart.

Due to a combination of Australia’s top-quality bowling attack and a policy of bringing Green along slowly, he has bowled more than 10 overs in an innings only seven times, peaking at 15.

It can be tough for a young all-rounder to break through at Test level. 

Steve Waugh was in a similar position in the mid 1980s when he was thrown into the fire ahead of time. At the same stage of his career, his highest score to that point was 79 not out against England during the 1986-87 home Ashes flogging.

The selectors persisted with Waugh and in his 26th Test he hit his first hundred in the ‘89 Ashes tour opener. Then backed up that unbeaten 177 with 152 not out in the next match before going on to become an all-time great.

Steve Waugh (Mandatory Credit: Mike Hewitt/Allsport)

An analysis of some of the greatest all-rounders in Test history shows that many future legends didn’t make much of a mark in their first 17 Tests.

New Zealand’s Sir Richard Hadlee scored his first ton in his 28th Test while Pakistani icons Imran Khan (30th) and Wasim Akram (31st) took even longer. 

The only all-rounder who was a world-class performer from the outset of their career was England’s Sir Ian Botham. After his first 17 Tests he’d racked up three centuries while averaging 35.95 and carved through opponents with the ball, taking 87 wickets at a remarkable 18.68 runs 43.9 deliveries per scalp. 

Cricket’s greatest all-rounder of all, Sir Garfield Sobers also took his time to find his feet with the West Indies. He didn’t reach triple figures until his 17th Test but gave his already strong average of 34.24 a fair old bump to 48.84 by blasting a world record 365 not out against Pakistan in Jamaica. 

His bowling was also a work in progress. He had taken just 21 wickets at 42.9 bowling left-arm orthodox early in his career before finding much greater success after switching to wrist spin then seamers.

How Green compares all-round after 17 Tests

Green’s numbers stack up well against these 21st century fast-bowling all-rounders and the greats of yesteryear.

He held a press conference at Brisbane Airport before the Australian team flew south to Melbourne on Thursday on what was supposed to be the day after the first Test was due to finish.

“I only bowled three overs for the game and batted about 20 balls,” Green told reporters, in reference to his brief foray against the Proteas.

“It has definitely been a weird start to the summer for myself, not having to do too much.

Sir Garfield Sobers. (Photo by S&G/PA Images via Getty Images)

“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.”

Green has used the extra time in Brisbane from the first Test finishing inside two days to get in a bit of extra practice.

“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,” he said.