Cameron Green admits he was embarrassed by an ugly dismissal under lights during the Gabba Test match, as he braces for the extra bowling loads that will come his way in the final three games of the Ashes series.
Backing away to hit what he expected to be yet another bouncer from Brydon Carse, Green could barely reach the full ball that the England fast man flung down for a change-up, and walked off chastened by the sight of stumps splayed and bails flying.
Cameron Green is bowled by Brydon Carse.Credit: AP
Five years into his international career, Green is yet to make a hundred on home soil, and his Test record in Australia (680 runs at 30.90 from 17 matches with a top score of 84) reflects a talent that has not yet come to full flower here.
“It looks quite bad when you get out, you walk off a little bit embarrassed, but they’re all really great learnings for future games,” Green said of losing his stumps. “It’s a really good plan on his end. The way we were going that was the best way I saw it, it’s not always going to pay off.
“Potentially at Adelaide Oval with shorter square boundaries, maybe you’re looking to take it on more than at the Gabba with really long square boundaries. It depends how we’re going. I think we were 30-40 runs behind, were the extra runs really crucial at night? Maybe, maybe not. All those things you weigh up during an innings to work out what the best thing is for the team.
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“When you first start you’ve probably got a cover drive and a pull shot, whereas now you may walk down the wicket, you’ve got a bit more confidence to back away, to play shots that you find appropriate. That’s the beauty of playing in a team with really experienced guys around me, I’m watching how they go about it and then try to build that into my game.”
A couple of overs earlier, Green suffered a heavy knock to the thumb, which is still heavily strapped. But on Sunday he insisted it would not affect his game. Similarly, he said he was up for bowling bouncer spells, should the team require it in Adelaide, noting an all-rounder’s workload typically rises across a series.
“Any overs you can bank up your sleeve in the early games will be beneficial later because I’ll obviously be required later in the series when everyone’s a bit more tired,” Green said. “Happy to keep the overs at what they are, but I’m certain they’re going to get increased the next few games.”