'I was so excited when I heard the news', says Cameron Green on batting at number four in Tests
‘I was so excited when I heard the news’, says Cameron Green on batting at number four in Tests
ADELAIDE: Australia’s versatile fast-bowler and all-rounder, Cameron Green, expressed immense excitement upon learning that he would be batting at number four in the upcoming Test series against the West Indies.
Grateful for not being assigned the role of an opener, Green, who temporarily lost his place to Mitchell Marsh during the Ashes in July last year, is now gearing up for the series opener at Adelaide Oval on January 17.
Notably, Green boasts an impressive average of 65 as a number four batsman for Western Australia in the Sheffield Shield.
“I was so excited when I heard the news. I thought I had about a 95 per cent chance of opening, so that’s where my head went for a couple of weeks and I’m grateful to be at four. What I like is I’ve got a bit of time.”
“I’ve always felt a touch rushed at six, especially after ‘Heady’ who makes it look a bit too easy at number five. So I’ve always felt like I’ve had to push the game along, whereas I feel like number four is my natural game where I can take my time and get settled in,” Green was quoted as saying by cricket.com.au.
During his time away from the Test playing eleven, Green saw it as a valuable opportunity to enhance his skills and refine his game. Now, he is fully prepared to embrace the responsibilities of an all-rounder as Australia gear up for the upcoming Test in Adelaide.
“Definitely still an allrounder. I’ve been doing it for WA for a few years, bowling a full quota (of overs) as well as batting at four so I’ve got no issue keeping the same load up.”
“It had been a whirlwind couple of years, and I hadn’t really had a chance to sit down and think about my own game and where to go from here. There’s always a silver lining to not being in the team, and having a bit of time in the nets to work on my own game and try to improve.”
“I just felt like I needed a long net yesterday. It’s always tough to replicate time in the middle, that’s the unfortunate thing about not playing. You spend time in the nets and it might take you 20 or 30 balls out in the middle on game day to get back in the rhythm. But we’ve played a lot of cricket in the last few years, so it won’t take too long.”
Green further said he will go his own way in transitioning to batting at number four in Tests. “I try not to learn too much from other guys because I feel like I’m a different player to a lot of them. So you try and bat like ‘Smudge’ (Smith) and ‘Marn’ (Marnus Labuschagne), but obviously I’m a bit different physically to them.”
“Same as Mitch (Marsh), I’ve just loved how much he’s enjoying his game at the moment and it seems like he’s in a really good place. I don’t feel any pressure. Obviously replacing someone like Steve (Smith) is pretty tough, but I’m just going to play my own way.”
(With IANS inputs)
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