‘It's bemusing' Ian Healy slams Cameron Green playing as No.3 batsman for Australia in Test against West Indies
Cameron Green returned to cricket for the WTC final after being out of action for nearly 12 months due to a lower-back injury. He played as No.3 in the final, didn't last long in either innings, and has once again gotten out cheaply in the first innings of the first Test in West Indies. Former Australian wicketkeeper Ian Healy has slammed the move to make Green bat at No.3.
'I do find it a little bemusing that Pat Cummins is saying that Cameron Green is a long-term No. 3,' Healy said on SEN radio. 'Previously about four months ago, they said Nathan McSweeney is a No. 3 moving forward for as long as you like and possible captain.Hopefully nothing's changed and he's just forgotten about 'Sweens'. He should be our number 3 and Cam Green can enjoy some other place in the order.'
The Australian captain Pat Cummins had explained his rationale for batting Green at No.3. 'I think Steve Smith is going to be hard to dislodge from No 4 while he's still playing so there's an opening at 3 and Greeny deserves that spot. We're always hesitant to move the main pillars.'
In the first innings against West Indies, he fell poking to Shamar Joseph to slips.
Healy pointed out a technical flaw in Green's batting. 'Cam Green, he's swishing a little bit too hard at the ball across the line of touch, and getting caught in slips. Zak Crawley, the tall man and England opener made a change within a game (to combat that). He was doing that in the first innings (like Green). But in the second innings, it was obvious he was trying to play straight with the full face of the bat. He went on to make 65 in one of the most historic run chases (chasing 371 at Headingley against India). So, Cam Green has just got to get his full face coming straight at the ball.'
Not that it's a recent trait – that bat-face angle. Even in his debut series against India in 2021, he had entered the series after being talked up by former coach Greg Chappell as 'once in a generation' player. Even then the Indians, like Mohammad Siraj, targeted the same line and length – the would bowl on the off and middle, get the ball to straighten, and Green would be found 'swishing' towards leg side.
In the WTC final, after being dismissed in the same fashion in the first innings, he had tried walking down the track in the second. No luck, as he once again edged.Marnus Labsuchagne, currently dropped for the Test, has been the long term No.3 batsman for Australia.
As an aside, it was Shamar Joseph who was criticised by Healy before the start of the Test, who rocked Australia with a four-for. After Joseph had sent out a pre-game warning note to young Australian opener Sam Konstas, Healy stepped in to say, 'You are not Curtly Ambrose champ.'
Joseph, who famously bowled West Indies to a thrilling win against Australia at the Gabba in 2024, sent a message to Konstas saying, 'just look out, that's all.'Reacting to it, Healy said, 'He's (Joseph) picked on the 19 year-old again,' Healy told SENQ Breakfast co-host Corey Parker. 'He's had a terrible year since he went through us at the Gabba. He had this toe that had blown up and didn't think he could play, he got out of his injury bed after someone said just come down and try it, and then he realised 'oh you can play with pain. Shamar has come out today and said (to Konstas)' just look out and watch what is coming'.
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