After Mitchell Marsh’s Headingley heroics, Cameron Green’s ability to turn the promise of brilliance into tangible on-field results has come under increasing scrutiny amidst Australia’s fourth Test selection dilemma.
His relatively modest Test returns in spite of numerous opportunities and near unlimited backing are a stark contrast to the way that Marsh superbly seized the opening that Green’s hamstring strain presented in the third Test.
Across 23 Tests Green has only notched one century, whereas at Leeds Marsh struck a game-changing, explosive hundred in his first Test innings for almost four years.
Yet despite Cameron’s fairly inconsistent performances in the baggy green, the selectors mustn’t give in to any possible temptation to sideline him in Manchester, even if that requires the harshest of snubs for a red-hot Marsh.
Before Green’s 198-centimetre frame came on the scene, the Australian Test side had long been crying out for a world-class all-rounder.
To then drop a very rare player who undeniably has the potential to fit that billing and whom so much has been invested in – all for a theoretical short-term gain – would be nonsensical.
(Photo by Daniel Pockett/Getty Images)
Since Green’s debut in 2020 Australia haven’t won a Test without him, and although correlation definitely doesn’t equate to causation, surely that statistic is some kind of testimony to the value that his outrageous gully fielding, evident batting knack and 140 km/h pace and bounce add to the team.
Under Bazball, England have reaped the benefits of backing players who fit their philosophy to the hilt. With his prodigal ability as well as his youth, Green deserves the continued support of the dressing room to give his generational talent the greatest chance of true fulfilment.
And for all the talk of a middling start to his Test career and of what Green could go on to achieve, his current Test batting and bowling averages are only two runs fewer than that of bonafide all-round great Ben Stokes.
The last eight months have been the all-rounder’s most fruitful in the Test arena so far, during which he’s racked up a maiden century, five-fer and man of the match award.
It’s worth bearing in mind that Green’s underwhelming English summer to date has come straight on the back of a 16-match IPL stint.
Even for the most experienced of campaigners, transitioning from such a polar opposite environment to the unique challenge of red-ball cricket in England would be a stern test, let alone for a man who has never experienced it before.
Now that Green has had time to re-adjust to the rigours of Test cricke,t as well as to acclimatise with England’s green-tinged wickets, overcast skies and the Dukes ball, you would expect him to rediscover his previously burgeoning form in the final two Tests.
In the longer term, Australia’s ageing team can only gain from continuing to nurture the 24-year-old’s gifts by persisting with him in Manchester.
After all, the other options are an off spinner who has played just 13 first class matches, a batter clinging on to the remnants of his career or a man with one of the worst Test batting averages of a No.6 in history.
Green’s blooming flower will surely bear more fruit than any of those alternatives, both in this series and in the future.
The selectors just need to continue watering it.
joss heddle-bacon
Roar Rookie
I take your point. Personally, even though he's been out of form, with the extra wicket or two he gets Australia every game in the gully, as well as his genuine bowling ability and the way he elongates Australia's batting lineup, I feel that picking Green gives Australia a better chance of winning the Ashes outright. If Cummins had selected Murphy over him in this test, Australia's would have a far longer tail, a less impactful fielder and a spinner with very limited experience who doesn't appear to be trusted by his his captain.
joss heddle-bacon
Roar Rookie
As well as he played in the last test, I'm not sure if I'd deem Marsh to be a genuine quality test all-rounder. He's always had the ability to produce magnificent innings on his day, but his career batting average of 27 after 57 innings is one of the worst test batting averages of all time among players who've scored more than 1000 runs.
jammel
Roar Rookie
Ashton Agar > Maxi in the Test arena for sure!!
Choppy Zezers
Roar Rookie
Big Show
Choppy Zezers
Roar Rookie
Hearing ya. Let Jonty Green carry the drinks and be our specialist gully fielder.
Rowdy
Roar Rookie
I'll go see that film
Rowdy
Roar Rookie
Fortune favours the brave. Keep Murphy, traditional spinners pitch which l hope is dry
Micko
Roar Rookie
Funny that he's been discarded and out of sight and out of mind now. Everyone in the past week were talking about including Maxwell for this test! :shocked:
Doctor Rotcod
Roar Rookie
As said earlier in other words,who would England like to see left out, the least and most ? Warner and Marsh for mine.
BigGordon
Roar Rookie
groan :happy:
Wikipetia
Roar Rookie
It would just be an Ali-oop (!)
Wikipetia
Roar Rookie
Tubs was saying it. If you want to bowl him late in the innings you need to get him in in session 1.
matth
Roar Guru
Good point, a big missed opportunity there, as well as not letting him play between '39 and '45. That was a massive fail by the selectors!
matth
Roar Guru
So who should open?
matth
Roar Guru
Ashton Agar come on down son. A holding spinner who can bat.
matth
Roar Guru
I don't see Murphy as having quite that stick-ability at this stage. I definitely would be telling Labs and Smith that run rate doesn't matter just bat for as long as you possibly can. Exhaust them, make them desperate to attack given a draw retains the Ashes for Australia. Make their bowlers struggle to back up for the 5th test in three days time and then hopefully finish them off then for 3-1. Yes, it sound un-Australian but I'd be playing for the draw and seeing if they implode in a sea of bowler injuries and hyper-aggressive batting.
Nick
Roar Rookie
Who knows...Bradman might have gone on to averaging 130-135 instead of that piddling 99.94 because of the mental anguish of being dropped
Opeo
Roar Rookie
“To then drop a… player… whom so much has been invested in – all for a theoretical short-term gain – would be nonsensical.” You are talking about it like Green will quit cricket altogether if he does not play in the fourth test. Also, the theoretical short-term gain here is very arguably the Australian test team’s greatest achievement since 2004.
PeteB
Roar Rookie
This is the most important test series every four years. It’s not a time to be carrying players of the future. Pick the form players. Marsh scored more in one innings then what Green made in six (including the test championship) and has a better strike rate and average with the ball. Marsh has to play ahead of Green.
BigGordon
Roar Rookie
I’m not sure it’s a lack of confidence in Murphy. I suspect Cummins would have had a similar issue with when to bring on the spinner, if Lyon was there for the last Test. I don’t recall any of the commentators demanding Murphy come into the attack in that last innings, though all have since said he should have bowled earlier than he did. Hindsight’s a wonderful thing. The Manchester wicket looks very dry from 17,000kms away, so pretty sure Murphy will play and as you say, the selectors will stick with Davey. Touch wood Mr Warner can make more than a few.