Australia’s new No.3 made a frustrating 26 off 37 as questions on his role remain
Andrew McGlashan04-Jul-2025It just looks like a frustrating score: 26 off 37 balls. Some hard work done, but no big pay day. For Cameron Green on the opening day in Grenada, it must have felt especially so.His career at No. 3 is still in its infancy, but now his five innings read: 4, 0, 3, 15 and 26. He has been backed for the role by captain Pat Cummins and coach Andrew McDonald, although right now there is nowhere else for him to bat. Steven Smith has returned to No. 4 (when not injured) and it doesn’t appear he’ll be moving again. Meanwhile, the success Beau Webster has enjoyed early in his career, which continued at the National Stadium, is making him look like someone with a future at No. 6.It’s possible to make a link between the current progress of Green and Webster. Had Webster not been so impressive early in his career – he now has four half-centuries in nine innings – and if Green returns to bowling in time for the Ashes as it’s hoped will happen, there could have been a world where he nudged out Webster and returned to his initial Test match position at No. 6, at least until No. 4 became available in the longer-term.Related
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Now it’s very hard to see Webster going anywhere after showing his adaptability on a wild pitch against India at the SCG, turners in Galle, the World Test Championship final at Lord’s, and now a Test-and-a-bit in the West Indies.”I’ve played six Tests now in four different countries with three different balls,” Webster said. “To come to countries I’ve never played in and with a ball I’ve never used before, just to be able to try and learn on my feet and try and get some info from some of the other guys, then go about my business my way, that’s probably the one thing I’ve learned.”Hopefully I can capitalise on one of these fifties at some stage, but at the moment I’m happy to contribute and get us to a defendable total.”Green has found it a challenge to secure a settled home in the Test side in the last two years. A few months after a maiden Test century at No. 6 in Ahmedabad, he struggled in the 2023 Ashes and eventually lost his place to Mitchell Marsh. Then, after being recalled against West Indies and New Zealand in early 2024 and making a superb 174 not out in Wellington at No. 4 – when Smith was opening – he was only able to keep that role for four games.
“The way [Konstas and Green] particularly started today, I thought it was exceptional. They put a bit of pressure back on their bowlers and made them change a little bit”Beau Webster
A back injury ruled him out of the 2024-25 season, but Smith was always likely to move away from opening against India, leaving some uncertainty about whether Green would have remained at No. 4.Therefore Green, someone marked out as generational player who would be the fulcrum of Australia’s future batting orders, is at an important juncture of a Test career that now has a not-insignificant sample size of 31 Tests.On Thursday in Grenada, he had a base to work with after Sam Konstas and Usman Khawaja had opened with 47. It took Green eight balls to get off the mark. He then was squared up by an excellent delivery from Alzarri Joseph, which took the back hip and momentarily got the West Indians excited.Next ball, Alzarri Joseph strayed and Green clipped him firmly between midwicket and mid-on. In the following over against the quick, Green was beaten by a superb delivery which climbed and moved away.Then it felt like, perhaps, things were about to click. Alzarri Joseph dropped short and Green crunched him through square leg. The next ball was fuller and Green drilled it straight of mid-off; when he’s driving straight it’s often a sign his game is in good order.When Shamar Joseph returned for a spell before lunch, he dropped one short and wide which Green leathered over the covers, not even trying to keep the ball down. This had the feel of a better tempo innings from him.Beau Webster’s form adds to queries on Cameron Green•AFP/Getty Images”The way [Konstas] and Greeny particularly started today I thought it was exceptional,” Webster said. “They put a bit of pressure back on their bowlers and made them change a little bit.”Then came the final over before lunch. Taking a big stride forward to Jayden Seales, Green drove on the up straight to cover where John Campbell spilled a simple chance. It was hands on head from West Indies, and perhaps something a little more emotional from coach Daren Sammy. They had seen the cost of dropped catches in Barbados.For Green, meanwhile, it was a massive reprieve. A chance to regather and reset during the lunch break and make the most of the start he had worked hard for in conditions that, while not as tough as Barbados, were still demanding for the top order. He got himself off strike next ball, but a single to Travis Head meant he was facing the last delivery before lunch.It was a touch fuller from Seales, Green came forward to drive again when it could have been left alone. There was some lovely late shape from Seales, whose strength is getting the ball to swing. Green drove hard and the thick edge flew high to Roston Chase at gully, where he had moved for this match in a switch with Brandon King who shifted to first slip after the catching woes of the first Test. Chase took it safely.Relief for West Indies, frustration for Green. His wait for another breakthrough goes on.
