If I were picking an Australian Test side today, I would not have Cameron Green in my side.
The reason is quite simple; Cam Green is not in form. Barring the 96 he scored against an extremely weak Queensland attack shorn of Michael Neser and Mark Steketee in the final round of the Sheffield Shield, he has not looked like scoring runs against any other side.
His Test numbers are also lower than normal – 352 runs at an average of 29.3 since the West Indies visited last year. This does not make for stellar reading and well short of his first class average of 46.
Green’s problems seem to not be technical as much as they seem to be mental. Indeed, in 7 of his past 15 innings he has made a score higher than 15 and then been out, 8 out of 15 if you include his 51* when he was declared on in Melbourne against South Africa. This struggle to convert starts might suggest Green is tired and needs some time away from the international spotlight.
Cameron Green plays a shot during a Sheffield Shield match at The Gabba. (Photo by Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images)
The best solution for Green and the selectors would be to send him back to Western Australia and the Perth Scorchers to have a good crack at the back end of the Big Bash League and Sheffield Shield season.
Mitchell Marsh at 32 is not a long-term option in the Australian side, and he does not offer the same bowling depth Green does. Allowing Green the freedom to go back and play cricket without needing to worry about potential selection or where he bats in the team would help him to rediscover his best.
Plenty of Test cricketers have seen benefits from going back and dominating at lower levels before going back up into the Test side. Ricky Ponting and Steve Waugh were both dropped from the Test side, went back to Shield cricket, came back to the Test side and never left. In this instance, Green would not be “dropped”. He would be afforded time to play himself into form in the Shield and Big Bash competitions.
By shoehorning Green into an already excellent Test team, the selectors force him to adapt at the highest level. Green has one of the brightest futures in Australian cricket, some even say future Australian captain.
Cameron Green takes a screamer to dismiss Shubman Gill. (Photo by Ryan Pierse/Getty Images)
But forcing a 24-year-old to bat in a position he has never batted before in international red ball cricket, either opening or at number 4, opens the possibility Green may never rediscover his damaging best with bat and ball because he has not been afforded the time away to rediscover his game.
Proponents of Green’s move up the order argue that he has the technique and temperament to succeed, and his performances for Western Australia suggest that he does. Technique and temperament are nothing, however, if his mental game is not right.
For the future of Australian cricket, Cameron Green needs to be at the peak of his powers in a future side with the likes of Harry Dixon, Jake Fraser-McGurk, Nathan McSweeney and Jack Clayton to bring the best out of those players. The only way to do that is to allow Green to regain his confidence.
Green’s confidence in his batting needs to be prioritised for Australia’s long-term success. Moving back to state and Big Bash cricket allows him to rediscover his enjoyment for the game and provides him with some time out of the international spotlight that would be beneficial for him.
Cameron Green is bowled by Ben Stokes in Adelaide. (Photo by Daniel Kalisz/Getty Images)
Asking Green to move up the order to open, or moving Steve Smith up to open to allow Green to bat at number 4, piles the pressure on Green to perform and sets him up for continued struggles if he does not succeed immediately.
Sure, two Tests against a weakened West Indies side could provide a good start for him, but the subsequent tour of New Zealand in late-March as well as next year’s Indian visitors will provide a much sterner contest.
Whatever happens with the opening position, Green’s future must be prioritised above all things. Allowing him to go back to where it began, where he has had success with the Perth Scorchers and Western Australia, helps to get him in the right mindset to achieve that goal.
Gibbo
Roar Pro
Ricky Ponting had a rock solid technique and an excellent temperament. He, too, got dropped for a period of time to Shield cricket. It did him a world of good!
Blink
Roar Rookie
I doubt this. Green has a rock solid technique and excellent temperament. It doesn't stop you getting out to great balls but most ex and players can see what is going on. The rest only see the stats and judge players on them. That is why opinions are irrelevant in selection. The selectors have a team and this team are the best in the world. Bringing in great potential (Green), the likes of which we haven't seen before is an attempt to prolong the great wave of success we're on.
Gibbo
Roar Pro
Yes, people have short memories! I'm all for Cam Green batting at no. 4. In fact, I think he's probably the most qualified candidate (other than Smith) to bat at 4. I do worry about what's going to happen in 3 years time when the likes of Khawaja, Smith, Starc, Boland, maybe Hazlewood, etc. hang up their boots from the red ball game. If you've not blooded young players, it's hard for them to come in and make a difference straight away in a pressure-filled environment. That's why we needed to pick Bancroft (who'd still be playing in 3 years time, most likely) as the form player and Renshaw (who'd only be 30 in 3 years time) as the longer-term options. From that point, you can start getting guys like McSweeney, Aaron Hardie and others around the squad to get them accustomed to what the international red ball level is like.
BigGordon
Roar Rookie
How manty snorters have we seen just in Tests? Head copped at least one beauty, so did Babar, Warner got two he should have been out to while Usman copped a beauty last innings and made a duck. People might forget it was only a couple of weeks ago we were 4 for 16 and in all kinds of ......! Tough to start with the bat when you're under that sort of pressure.
Gibbo
Roar Pro
Thanks, Gordo. Yes, I do fear for him at no.4 for those very reasons. WI doesn't have a great bowling attack, but they can still bowl good balls (heck, the CA XI was rolled for 174 and there were a number of good balls in there). If he doesn't go out and make 50+ against the Windies, then I think he's only going to struggle even more. The other question is, how long can Mitch Marsh maintain this tear that he's on? If he and Green start struggling at the same time...?
BigGordon
Roar Rookie
Another good article Gibbo, You make a very good case for bringing Green back to Shield cricket so the pressures taken off and he can hopefully fix whatever ails him. Sadly though, selectors have gone the other way. He's now going to be expected to produce runs and lots of them at number 4 because this spot is arguably reserved for the best batsman in the team. I hope for his sake he can do it, but opposition bowlers have a happy knack of dishing up unplayable deliveries when guys are out of form - just look at what Warner copped from Stuart Broad in his last 2 trips to England. It only takes one or two of those and Green's confidence could be shattered.
BigGordon
Roar Rookie
I think people are missing a couple of points about Green playing in the BBL as you suggest. If he went back and played for the Scorchers, he'd have two games then the finals, not a full tournament. I hardly think a few games of hit & giggle will seriously harm him and as you say, might get rid of some of that mental frustration.
Gibbo
Roar Pro
Agree. However, sometimes putting a player back into a T20 environment can help unlock whatever negative thoughts they’ve put into their heads in the international arena. Sometimes just the freedom to play however you want without the added pressure of the international stage helps the player to relax and can do wonders for them.
Gibbo
Roar Pro
Of course he would! But he’s a professional cricketer. That’s his job. I just think that he’d benefit with some time away.
Gibbo
Roar Pro
Sometimes putting a player back into a T20 environment can help unlock whatever negative thoughts they’ve put into their heads in the international arena. Sometimes just the freedom to play however you want without the added pressure of the international stage helps the player to relax and can do wonders for them.
Sizefive
Roar Rookie
Very well written and argued article. I would take issue with only one thing. The move back to WA to experience Big Bashing. If he is to be cultivated as a test player bashing things in the hit and miss league is the last thing he needs to be doing.
matth
Roar Guru
Maybe someone should ask Cameron Green. I’m pretty sure he’d say get me out there
Don
Roar Rookie
Green sat out of the Big Bash this season to stay fit and fresh after playing himself into a standstill last season. Why would you want to put a guy who you want to show temperament, and technical skill at FC level back into that environment? Whether he is successful at 4 at test level along with Smith opening is yet to be seen, but I'm on board with the plan. He showed last year in India he can put an innings together in adverse conditions. The Gabba will be a nice test of all batsman even with a mediocre WI bowling attack. A newish pink ball could do some wicked things at the Gabba under lights on a balmy evening...