King of the North: Green revels in Top End hot streak

When the time comes for Cricket Australia to discuss the merits of more international cricket in the country's northern ports, the Northern Territory and Queensland Cricket organisations should be enlisting Cameron Green as a major advocate for their cause.

Green was the star of the Aussie first innings at Mackay's Great Barrier Reef Arena, hitting 10 boundaries in his 67 to top score for his country for the second straight innings.

The towering allrounder broke through for his first Test century on home soil last week in Darwin and backed it up with in Mackay, an innings produced in conditions that Mitchell Starc described as "definitely harder".

While Green had to grind at Marrara Stadium and hit only four fours and a solitary six in his century, he found the boundary far more frequently in his subsequent innings and played with the freedom of a player whose place in the XI is secure.

His second Test knock came almost a year to the day after Green slammed his maiden ODI hundred – 118no off 55 – against South Africa at the same venue.

Going back even further, Green battled severe cramps to hit a match-winning 89no in an ODI against New Zealand in Cairns in 2022. Every time he was travelled to Australia's northern-most cricket grounds, he has returned home with an innings of significance to his name. 

So, it's little wonder it was the West Australian who was given the media duties last Thursday morning in Mackay to promote the city's maiden Test fixture.

Cameron Green in the Top End (Darwin, Mackay, Cairns, Townsville)

 

Inns: 12 | Runs: 510 | Ave: 56.66 | 100s: 2 | 50s: 2 | HS: 118*

"It's always nice coming back to a place you've got good memories," Green said.

Green's knock was ended on Sunday by a vicious in-swinging yorker from Tigers star Shoriful Islam. It was only the third time in 62 Test innings that he had registered back-to-back half-centuries for Australia.

But don't expect his recent good form to change the understated personality of the 27-year-old.

"He's still the same quiet Cameron Green," Starc said after play on day one.

"It was fantastic for him. He's found a process that's working for him … (and) whatever he's doing is paying off.

"I thought he played fantastic last week for that hundred, his first in Australia as well was great to see, and then he's backed it up again today in definitely harder conditions."

NRMA Insurance Bangladesh Test series

First Test: Bangladesh won by nine wickets

Second Test: August 22-26, Great Barrier Reef Arena, Mackay, 10am (local)

Australia squad: Pat Cummins (c), Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Cameron Green, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Matthew Renshaw, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Beau Webster

Bangladesh squad: Najmul Hossain Shanto (c), Mehidy Hasan Miraz (vc), Soumya Sarkar, Shadman Islam, Tanzid Hasan Tamim, Mominul Haque Showrab, Mushfiqur Rahim, Litton Das, Amite Hasan, Jaker Ali Anik, Taijul Islam, Taskin Ahmed, Hasan Mahmud, Syed Khaled Ahmed, Ebadot Hossain Chowdhury, Musfik Hasan, Litton Das, Shoriful Islam