This was published 10 months ago
‘Straight back in’: Green expects to make way as Maxwell, Marsh return
By Malcolm Conn
Cameron Green admits he will be the first victim of a sudden embarrassment of riches despite a pivotal innings which helped set up victory over England and propel Australia closer to the World Cup semi-finals.
With Glenn Maxwell and Mitchell Marsh both available for Tuesday’s game against a surprising Afghanistan, Australia must find two positions in a side that has won a fifth game in a row and sits a game clear in third place. One win from their remaining two group matches would take Australia to the play-offs.
Green has put his hand up as one of the fall guys, but just who else misses out will test the selectors following Maxwell’s recovery from concussion and Marsh’s pending return late on Sunday after leaving the team due to the death of his grandfather.
“We want the best team out on the field, and unfortunately, I’m missing out,” Green said after scoring 47 from 52 balls to help steady an Australian innings which never really fired but still managed 286 in a 33-run victory over England. “We’re playing some great cricket, winning five in a row, so we must be doing something right.”
“I think they’re straight back in,” Green said of Maxwell and Marsh. “We’re so excited to get Mitch back and then Maxi, I think it’s an eight-day [concussion] protocol [that ends] on the [match] day, so I think he’s all good to go.”
Green replaced Marsh in the team for the England game and hard-hitting all-rounder Marcus Stoinis returned from a calf twinge to cover for Maxwell. Stoinis scored 35 from 32 balls.
Glenn Maxwell celebrates scoring the fastest ever World Cup century during this tournament.Credit: AP
However, Maxwell scored the fastest World Cup hundred in history earlier in the tournament, from 40 balls, and his off-spin has been a key part of Australia’s attack in Indian conditions.
Stoinis was the most expensive of the Australian bowlers against England, conceding 34 from his four overs as captain Pat Cummins shuffled his attack to fill the fifth bowler’s 10-over quota. Maxwell had bowled 42.3 overs in Australia’s first six matches and is the only Australian with an economy rate under five.
Thinking at the start of the tournament had Marnus Labuschagne as the obvious omission given he wasn’t even in the original squad until Travis Head suffered a broken hand in South Africa.
While Labuschagne has struggled at times to lift his strike rate, he has played every match, first as cover for Head and then pushing Green out of the side.
Cameron Green says he will lose his place in the side following the return of Glenn Maxwell and Mitch Marsh.Credit: Getty
On Saturday night, Labuschagne was the glue that held the Australian innings together after the team’s potent launching pad, their opening partnership, had a rare double failure as Head (11) and David Warner (15) were both out cheaply. Labuschagne top-scored with 71 from 83 balls, the only Australian to pass 50. He is now Australia’s second-highest run scorer with 272 at an average of 39 and a strike rate of 79.
Australia’s leading run-scorer is David Warner with 428 at 61 and a strike rate of 112. However, Australia’s other big-name batter, Steve Smith, has 205 runs at just 29 and only one half-century, increasing the value of Labuschagne’s middle-order contribution.
Green has been a fan of the way Labuschagne has contributed to Australia’s run of success after beginning the tournament with bad losses against the top two teams, India and South Africa.
“We know how reliable Marnus is, especially when you go two down in the power play, and it was pretty tough at the start,” Green said. “He is batting beautifully at the moment, ever since he came back into the ODI side.
“We were all good in our camp. We knew India and South Africa were the two best teams leading in.”
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