Leg Buys Column: Cameron Green seeks out English county, Mitch Owen’s next move

LEG BUYS: Cameron Green’s desperate move to prove his fitness ahead of the World Test Championship final could land him in England. Plus the next move for Australian cricket’s hottest star.

Cameron Green is exploring a potential English county cricket stint in a bid to prepare for the World Test Championship final.

Cricket Australia is optimistic the all-rounder will be available for the clash with South Africa at Lord’s in June.

Green has been sidelined all season after hurting his back in England during a one-day series last September. The West Australian underwent back surgery in New Zealand in a bid to guard against a future setback.

While nothing is locked in, it’s understood Green has been looking at finding a county for what would likely be a brief stay. It may be his only opportunity to play competitive cricket before the WTC decider.

Should he play against the Proteas, it is likely Green would only do so as a specialist batter.

Cameron Green is closing in on his comeback from back surgery. Picture: Getty

He was not retained by the Royal Challengers Bengaluru for the upcoming Indian Premier League season.

The 25-year-old picked up the Community Impact award at Monday night’s Australian Cricket Awards, telling Channel 7 at the function that he was on track to take on South Africa

“100 per cent [I’ll be ready for it]. I’m finally starting to see the end of the tunnel, happy to get running and batting and starting to feel more like a cricketer now,” he said.

“It’s been a really weird summer,” he told Seven at the Cricket Australia Awards night.

“At the same time, it’s been a nice break, but I’m ready to get back into it now.”

Cameron Green picked up the Community Impact award at this year’s Australian Cricket Awards. Picture: Getty

Green received the gong for his work with Kidney Health Australia.

Meanwhile, first Test star Matt Kuhnemann is likely to play league cricket in the UK. There is little appetite for spinners in county cricket, a point made by Nathan Lyon when asked about the likelihood of him returning for another county run after playing for Lancashire in 2024.

MITCH’S AMERICAN BEAUTY

Big Bash League hero Mitch Owen is in line for an opportunity in the US.

Since blitzing the BBL, the Hobart Hurricanes opener has already signed with SA20’s Paarl Royals as a replacement player, and is now in the mix for Major League Cricket’s Washington Freedom.

There is already a connection between the Hurricanes and the Freedom, with Hobart’s head of strategy Ricky Ponting also serving as coach of Washington, who won the MLC title last year in Ponting’s first season at the helm.

Mitch Owen is a man in demand after his BBL Final heroics. Picture: Getty

This year’s event is set to overlap with the WTC final and Australia’s tour of the West Indies, ruling out many of Australia’s leading players after Steve Smith, Pat Cummins and Travis Head all featured in 2024.

Owen was courted by the Adelaide Strikers before eventually re-signing with the Hurricanes.

He then blasted a century off 39 balls in the final against the Sydney Sixers to help deliver Hobart a maiden BBL title.

CANE STRAIN

While Tim David is still expected to stay with the BBL champions, Hobart’s raft of big-name re-signings means the bottom spots on the club’s list are likely to be filled by players on close to if not the league’s base salary.

The Hurricanes fended off rivals to retain Owen and Riley Meredith before the signing deadline last month, and are believed to remain optimistic about keeping late-innings destroyer David despite strong interest from the Melbourne Stars.

But with Nathan Ellis, Nikhil Chaudhary and Ben McDermott having all extended their deals as well, it’s believed the Hurricanes have an extremely tight cap.