Star ruled out as stunning fairytale Test comeback edges closer
Updated . First published
Cameron Green has been ruled out of Australia’s first Test against South Africa.
The tall all-rounder suffered an abdominal injury while playing last week’s one-day international.
Cameron Green goes down in last week’s ODI against South Africa. AP Photo/Themba Hadebe
Speaking to media on Tuesday night, coach Andrew McDonald revealed Green will not play in Durban in the match starting Friday evening (AEDT).
And if Green does play the second and third Tests, he won’t be able to bowl.
It continues a concerning run of injuries for the once much-hyped prodigy, who battled back issues last year, as well as poor form during the Ashes series.
“It is an odd one, it had our medical team scrambling,” McDonald said of Green’s new injury.
“It’s not a rotational muscle, it’s a stabilising muscle… there is a path where he can play in this series.
“We would be solely focused on getting him to return as a batter, we wouldn’t be putting that demand on him to return as a bowler, I think that would be too high risk.”
Green’s omission creates an intriguing selection conundrum for Australia.
With keeper-batter Josh Inglis also out with an injured finger, it leaves young spinning all-rounder Cooper Connolly and ageing batter Nic Maddinson fighting for the middle-order spot.
Maddinson was a shock call-up to the squad late last week when Green went down injured. He played three Test matches a decade ago, but has not played red ball cricket in more than 18 months.
His surprise addition to the squad shocked everyone and ruffled the feathers of several former players, with Matthew Hayden blasting selectors for “disrespecting first class cricket” and ignoring more deserving players.
McDonald hit back at that criticism.
Cooper Connolly is in line for a Test recall. AP Photo/Mosaraf Hossain
“Quality player, can bat at the top, can bat in the middle,” McDonald said.
“We’re going to get challenged with spin, and those subcontinent tours we’ve had in the past, (Maddinson) been well and truly in our thoughts.
“It may not have been obvious for others, but we felt the player we needed to replace Josh Inglis, can bat at the top and bat in the middle.”
Connolly made his Test debut in Sri Lanka early last year, and averages an impressive 42.10 from 13 first class matches.
He can also bowl left-arm spin, turning the ball the opposite way to Nathan Lyon, which could ultimately earn him the nod over Maddinson for the Durban Test.
“I see myself as a batting all-rounder,” Connolly said this week.
“I didn’t used to put a lot of time into it. I just thought left-arm spin was pretty easy, but there’s actually a bit more to spin bowling.”
Captain Pat Cummins will address media on Thursday but may not confirm his line-up until the toss on Friday.
Aussie Test squad
Pat Cummins (c), Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Cooper Connolly, Cameron Green (injured), Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis (injured), Matthew Kuhnemann, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Michael Neser, Matthew Renshaw, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Beau Webster, Nic Maddinson, Sam Harper
Likely XI for first Test
Travis Head, Matthew Renshaw, Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith, Cooper Connolly / Nic Maddinson, Beau Webster, Alex Carey, Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, Nathan Lyon
