Cameron Green knows the less he has to do during a Test, the better the Australian team is going.
But that doesn’t mean the 23-year-old all-rounder isn’t hungry to spend some time in the middle when the Aussies host South Africa in the second match of the series from Boxing Day.
Green has endured a “weird” start to the summer by his own definition. He didn’t bat in the first test against the West Indies, then made only 9 and 5 and took one wicket against them in Adelaide.
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Last week, the young gun was out for 18 in the first innings, only bowled a handful of overs on a green Gabba deck, and then finished 0 not out as Australia beat the Proteas in Brisbane.
He heads to the MCG on Monday with a lack of genuine match fitness under his belt, and a hunger for a big score.
“It has definitely been a weird start to the summer for myself, not having to do too much,” Green said on Thursday.
“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.
“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.”
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While he hasn’t been “needed” yet this summer, there’s little to no chance Green will be dropped from the Test side.
He has proven himself to be a quality fourth pace bowler in an attack that features some of Australia’s best ever. His batting is on the improve constantly, and his Test average of 32.82 will only grow in time – while his hunt for the elusive century will surely end.
The quandary for Australian selectors will be whether to bring Josh Hazlewood into the team for the Boxing Day match.
Hazlewood had a fitness test on Thursday on a side strain suffered in Perth three weeks ago, and is in a battle with Scott Boland to be named in the XI.
Boland was the hero of last year’s Melbourne Test, demolishing England in front of his home crowd on debut for Australia.
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