With the eyes of the cricket world on Perth in the lead-up to the Ashes, Cameron Green has fallen agonisingly short of a drought-breaking Sheffield Shield century.<\/p>\n
More than 20 months after his last first-class ton, Green looked destined for triple figures on day three against Queensland until Michael Neser trapped him in front on 94 with a ball that jagged back sharply off the seam.<\/p>\n
Green showed off his skill with the willow as he streaked to 84 off 132 balls, but slowed to a crawl as the milestone neared.<\/p>\n
His final 10 runs came off 40 balls, and he was eventually trapped LBW six runs shy of his first century since an unbeaten 174 in a Test against New Zealand in Wellington, in March 2024.<\/p>\n
Green missed last summer due to back surgery, but has returned to the first-class scene in style with wickets and now runs for Western Australia.<\/p>\n
Captain Sam Whiteman declared the innings on 7-322 as Green trudged off the WACA, with Aaron Hardie not out on 55 after a 105-run partnership with Australia’s presumptive number three.<\/p>\n
WA was still 68 runs behind Marnus Labuschagne’s Queensland, but the declaration created the chance for a result in the four-day match.<\/p>\n
Rogers anoints Khawaja’s replacement<\/p>\n
While Green and Labuschagne continued to push their cases a week out from the first Ashes Test in Perth, Victoria coach Chris Rogers was looking beyond the upcoming series.<\/p>\n
Rogers said Campbell Kellaway proved he could be Australia’s long-term successor to Usman Khawaja, labelling the Victorian a “ready-made Test player”.<\/p>\n
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Campbell Kellaway weathered a number of blows from the star-studded NSW attack. (Getty Images: Darrian Traynor)<\/p>\n
Kellaway scored a gutsy half-century for Victoria against New South Wales this week, against a Test attack featuring Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood and Nathan Lyon.<\/p>\n
The opener’s 51 at the SCG came after he also plundered 147 against Tasmania last month, with the 23-year-old now looking more complete at the top of the order.<\/p>\n
But it was a prolonged battle with Starc that was most notable this week, and earned praise from former Test opener Rogers.<\/p>\n
In a 45-minute duel after lunch on day one, Kellaway wore several balls to the gloves and body from Starc, before battling through the pain to reach his 50.<\/p>\n
And while the left-hander was eventually out when he gloved a ball down legside against the quick, he still impressed in front of national selector Tony Dodemaide.<\/p>\n
“It’s proven once again he could be the successor to Khawaja. He’s going to do fantastic things in his career,” 25-Test veteran Rogers said.<\/p>\n
“I spoke to Campbell about it after, and he wouldn’t have faced that challenge throughout his career.<\/p>\n
“But if he’s going to go on and play international cricket, then he will have to face things like that, where tall, fast bowlers are kind of aiming at his front shoulder.<\/p>\n
“So that’s something that he’s going to have to work on, the positions he gets into.<\/p>\n
“But to come out and get 50 and line the ball up so well against Starc and Hazlewood, I thought that was a real tick.”<\/p>\n