Cam Green Set For A Big Role Against England

“The good thing about Cameron is we see him being anywhere in the order, which is very rare”

It was a series where the 25-year-old’s versatility was on full display.

He bowled in the Powerplay, through the middle and at the death, while also starting the series listed to bat in the No.7 finishing role before ending it with two impressive knocks at second drop, which included his second T20I half-century.

Marsh and Australia’s selectors know they have a player that can take on any role the team needs, the problem so far has been finding an opportunity to let him flourish.

After he sat on the bench for the entire T20 World Cup campaign in June, that opportunity finally came during their whirlwind week-long tour of Scotland, with more chances to come this week against England.

With the experience of Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc and Glenn Maxwell absent for both T20 series, and Josh Hazlewood only available to take on their Ashes rivals, 25-year-old Green has embraced a senior role in a new-look Aussie side.

“The good thing about Cameron is we see him being anywhere in the order, which is very rare,” Marsh told cricket.com.au as his side prepared to travel to Southampton on Sunday for their England series opener at the Rose Bowl.

“We all know Greeny’s talent and it’s nice for him to experience different positions in the batting order and play as much cricket as he can in the T20 format.

“We knew that before we came in (to the Scotland series) that guys were going to get opportunities in different positions.

“He can be down at four or in the middle order, anyone can slide from four to seven so depending on how we’re going at the time.”

Green was also extremely effective with the ball across the three matches, collecting six wickets and conceding fewer than eight runs an over while bowling in all phases of the innings.

He particularly enjoyed the scalp of Mark Watt in consecutive matches, while also showing serious skill to reverse sweep the Scotsman’s renowned long ball for six in the third T20.

“He’s one of their better players so it’s always a good feeling to get some of the better players out,” Green said.

With Test skipper Cummins indicating the Western Australian is set for a bigger role with the red ball against India across the upcoming home summer, Marsh has shown he also plans to lean on the towering paceman regularly throughout September’s white-ball tour.

“The body is in a really good place at the moment so if they require some more (overs), I’m ready,” Green said.

“I think it’s just more confidence in the body.

“They always say around 25-26 (years old) is when your back starts to really mature – I’m getting to that age now so hopefully some injuries keep away and I can bowl a few more overs.”

While Australia lost Nathan Ellis to a hamstring injury on the eve of the Scotland series, and Riley Meredith is being monitored due to soreness, a fit-again Hazlewood is set to return in the first T20 against England.

Australia’s new-look pace attack featuring Xavier Bartlett, Meredith, Abbott and Aaron Hardie all impressed in Scotland, with Hazlewood’s experience a welcome addition for Marsh heading into this week’s bigger challenge against England.

“Our consistency was probably the most pleasing thing over the three games, and we gave guys opportunities in different situations with both that and ball,” he said.

“One of the things we spoke about at the start of the series was just coming together and making this team our own for the next couple of weeks.

“We’ve certainly built on that over this (past week), and we head to England very excited.”