Legendary Australia cricketer Steve Waugh has backed Cameron Green for the opener’s spot after David Warner retires from Test cricket. Warner, a long term servant of the Australian team will be calling time on his career after the 3-match Test series against Pakistan, scheduled to begin on 14 December. Warner, if selected, is expected to retire after playing his final match at the iconic Sydney Cricket Ground.
Warner’s opening partner of the series – Usman Khawaja – who has been the best Test batter for Australia in the past two years is not expected to continue for long either, given he is 36 years old. Australian selectors have not really tried out young talents for the position, and they may find it a little problematic to fill up those positions.
Speaking to Fox Sports about the same, Steve Waugh has said that if nobody is found from domestic cricket, Cameron Green should be tried out in the opener’s spot. Green lost his place to Mitchell Marsh in the middle order of the Australian Test team, and is unlikely to make a return, unless for injuries in the Australian playing XI. Waugh argued that Green had good technique to face pacers and could be a replacement for Warner.
“There’s not a lot of other options available, but I’d be seriously thinking of getting Cameron Green in to open the batting,” Waugh said.
“I want him in the team, because he just offers so much. He gives great balance because he bowls ten to 15 good hours, he’s a great fieldsman and I think his batting, he hasn’t quite nailed it yet, but when I (have) seen him, he’s got a good technique and he plays fast bowling well,” he further added.
Waugh argued that due to batting at No. 6, Green faces the second new ball, and hence it might not be a difficult switch for him in Test cricket.
“And he’s batted at six so far and often you get the second new ball at six, so â€æ I just think it could be a bit of a Shane Watson-type situation, so I’d seriously be looking at him, because I want him in the team. At the moment Mitch Marsh has obviously nailed that spot that he was in, so that’d be the way I’d possibly go,” Waugh concluded his analysis.
