Allrounder had little time to prepare to bat at No.3 before crashing Australia’s second fastest century in men’s ODIs

Green machine: Allrounder belts 47-ball ton

Cameron Green says he had one ball to ready himself for a promotion to No.3 before he crashed the second fastest men’s ODI century in Australian history.

Green found himself walking out at first-drop following Travis Head and Mitch Marsh’s 250-run opening partnership with Marnus Labuschagne sliding down the order.

The openers had batted for the first two-thirds of the innings when Head was dismissed on the first ball of the 35th over.

And Green revealed he was thrust into the action almost immediately after his promotion was confirmed in the dugout

“We discussed it probably at the 30-over mark,” Green told reporters after play.

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“We were like ‘if it gets to the 35th (over), we might make a few changes’.

“Because then it becomes a bit of a T20 for the rest of us, (having) lost no wickets.

“I think I got told I was in next one ball before ‘Heady’ got out.

“It always happens like that.

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“The next ball I was in, so it took me a while to get ready.”

But Green’s modest analysis of the start to his innings isn’t really backed up by the stats.

A four from his second ball, expertly using his feet to the spin of Keshav Maharaj, ensured his strike rate always stayed above 100.

His fresh legs were evident as he scurried a couple of quick twos in partnership with Alex Carey and moved to 17 off 13 before his innings really began to accelerate.

The first of Green’s eight sixes came against teenage bowler Kwena Maphaka, who had the unenviable task of defending the short side of the ground to Green’s monstrous hitting ability. It was no contest.

Then came Green’s match up with Senuran Muthusamy with the next over from the same (northern) end of the ground.

Green turned down a single with a punch to deep point, despite Australia being only two wickets down and the very able Carey at the other end.

Green hails opener’s platform after crashing maiden ODI ton

The decision perplexed the Fox Cricket commentators Mark Waugh and Brad Haddin, but it’s been a recurring theme in this Australian side of late with Tim David and Glenn Maxwell also pulling the move to good effect.

“We’ve discussed it the last few weeks, especially in the T20 stuff,” Green explained. 

“We were discussing it before Tim David did it in West Indies … if you get a really good match up, (go for it).

“I think the bowler likes when a single gets hit, for example.

“(I) tried to make the most of the short boundary.”

Green’s bold call paid off beautifully, with the powerful allrounder nailing Muthusamy’s final three deliveries for six.

Green described the first of the trio, a straight 90m hit over long on, as “pure” and his favourite of the bunch.

It was the 26-year-old’s maiden ODI century which came as a relief after contributing 91 runs in his previous five innings.

His 47-ball effort, all scored in the final 15 overs of the innings, is bettered only by Glenn Maxwell’s 40-ball century against Netherlands at the 2023 World Cup as the quickest by an Australian man in the format.

While a lot of attention has been on Green’s return to bowling following his rehabilitation from back surgery, on Sunday night he reminded everyone of his ability with the bat.

Green will now spend a few weeks at home in Perth following a virtually non-stop return from injury over the past four months, beginning with his return in county cricket in May which was followed by the World Test Championship final, West Indies Tests and T20s and the entirety of the T20s and ODIs against South Africa.

BKT Tyres ODI Series – Australia v South Africa

August 19: South Africa won by 98 runs

August 22: South Africa won by 84 runs

August 24: Australia won by 276 runs

Australia ODI squad: Mitchell Marsh (c), Xavier Bartlett, Alex Carey, Cooper Connolly, Ben Dwarshuis, Nathan Ellis, Cameron Green, Aaron Hardie, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Matthew Kuhnemann, Marnus Labuschagne, Adam Zampa

South Africa ODI squad: Temba Bavuma (c), Corbin Bosch, Matthew Breetzke, Dewald Brevis, Nandre Burger, Tony de Zorzi, Aiden Markram, Kwena Maphaka, Senuran Muthusamy, Keshav Maharaj, Wiaan Mulder, Lungi Ngidi, Lhuan-dre Pretorius, Ryan Rickelton, Tristan Stubbs, Prenelan Subrayen