‘Genuine bowler’ Green bolsters credentials

Fresh off a maiden five-wicket haul in international cricket, Cameron Green says he's excited at the prospect of being a genuine bowler in Australia's one-day team.

In the opening Dettol ODI against Zimbabwe on Sunday, Green took the vital wicket of Sikandar Raza and ran through the visitors' middle order to claim a career-best 5-33 from nine overs.

The allrounder was a star of last summer's Ashes series with the ball after waiting a long time for his first Test wicket, a fate that also befell him in the 50-over format.

It took Green over 250 deliveries to take his first Test wicket (before he dominated with 13 Ashes wickets at an average of 15.76), and 150 deliveries to snare his first ODI wicket (that of Pramod Madushan in Sri Lanka in June).

But on a two-paced pitch at Riverway Stadium in Townsville, the wickets came quickly.

The allrounder had never previously bowled more than six overs in any of his previous seven ODIs.

But selected as a "genuine bowler" according to Australia captain Aaron Finch, the call to play Green at No.8 as the third quick paid dividends.

Image Id: 2BCE86E506D945CDB65A52A5717B9B0C Image Caption: Cameron Green sends one down against Zimbabwe on Sunday // Getty

"I just had a really clear game plan," Green told reporters after his Player of the Match performance.

"I wouldn’t say anything has changed from the previous games. I just got a bit lucky at the end there.

"I was just trying to bowl back of a length on a wicket that was going up and down, so I didn’t really have to change what I was doing too much."

Green went wicketless in his first spell, but put together a match-turning spell in the middle overs as he claimed the wicket of Raza with a short ball that the Zimbabwe gun could only help down Adam Zampa's throat at deep square leg.

He finished his second set with figures of 4-0-10-1.

In a surprise to even himself, Green was also entrusted with the crucial 'death overs'.

But the allrounder performed with aplomb, taking two wickets in his eighth over and another two in his ninth.

Green also claimed the wickets of Zimbabwe captain Regis Chakabva and noted big-hitter Ryan Burl (who hit 34 in an over against Bangladesh earlier this month) as the tourists' innings lost all momentum.

"I didn't initially get the heads up that that (closing out the innings) would be my role," Green said. 

"But when Finchy (captain Aaron Finch) threw me the ball I was really excited to have a crack at that.

"I didn't really have to hit yorkers or change too much from what I do normally but it's just something I'll have to keep working on."

Finch said he was impressed by Green's intelligence and adaptability.

"He sticks to his plans really well," Finch told cricket.com.au after the match.

"He adapts on the run which is really important in this format of the game.

"For someone that young to have that much cricketing nous is really important and he just balances out our side so well."

Over previous seasons, Cricket Australia have been very cautious managing the workloads of the highly talented 23-year-old as he finds his feet in international cricket.

But in a pleasing sign for fans of Australian cricket, Green said there are no restrictions on his bowling loads at the moment.

"I'm in a good place at the moment where those restrictions aren't really there," Green told reporters after his performance on Sunday.

"They (the coaching staff) might be cautious in back-to-back games … but I think when I get picked I can bowl the full quota."

Men's Dettol ODI Series v Zimbabwe

First ODI: Australia won by five wickets

Wednesday Aug 31: Riverway Stadium, Townsville, 9:40am

Saturday Sep 3: Riverway Stadium, Townsville, 9:40am

Australia squad: Aaron Finch, Sean Abbott, Ashton Agar, Alex Carey, Cameron Green, Josh Hazlewood, Marnus Labuschagne, Mitchell Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Marcus Stoinis, David Warner, Adam Zampa.

Zimbabwe squad: Ryan Burl, Regis Chakabva (c), Bradley Evans, Luke Jongwe, Innocent Kaia, Takudzwanashe Kaitano, Clive Madande, Wessly Madhevere, Tadiwanashe Marumani, Tony Munyonga, Blessing Muzarabani, Richard Ngarava, Victor Nyauchi, Sikandar Raza, Sean Williams.

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