Cameron Green is set to bowl with a modified action in preparation for the upcoming Test match in Perth. The 26-year-old allrounder plans to deliver between 15 to 20 overs for Western Australia in the final week leading up to the first Test, which begins on March 15, 2024. Green has had a limited bowling presence this season, having bowled just four overs in a match against New South Wales on October 5, 2024, at the WACA ground.
Green’s bowling return has been gradual. His last competitive bowling before the recent match was in an ODI series in England in September 2023. He last took to the crease in a Test match during a series in New Zealand in March 2024. Following surgery in October 2023 for a fifth stress fracture in his lower back, Green rejoined the Test squad but only participated as a batter during the winter.
In an effort to ease his way back into bowling, Green has focused on minor adjustments in his technique. “There have been minor changes with the bowling angle of my run-up and trying to get my front foot slightly more out of the way and to the left,” he explained to AAP. “I don’t have to fall over too much to get through the crease and I’m trying to stand a bit taller. It is not like there has been a complete reinvention of my action.”
Green emphasized the importance of his rehabilitation, stating, “We have had an awesome 11 months being really diligent getting my back in a really good spot. I didn’t cut any corners.” He acknowledged the significance of the upcoming Ashes series, explaining that there was no rush to return to full bowling capacity. “It was always going to be about easing my way back with a slow build-up through Shield cricket for WA,” he added.
The impact of Green’s performance this week may influence the selection decisions regarding fellow players Beau Webster and Jake Weatherald for the Test team. Neither player made a substantial score during Tasmania’s match against South Australia, prompting selectors to consider the inclusion of either an additional allrounder or a specialist opener.
Despite Green’s limited bowling this summer, chief selector George Bailey expressed confidence in his readiness. “It is a 12-month build so to rush a step at the last moment doesn’t make much sense,” Bailey noted. He reiterated that an allrounder does not need to be prepared to bowl an extensive number of overs immediately. “I think he will be really well placed. We are confident we will get good information from this round of Shield cricket and he will be bowling for us in the opening Test.”
As Green prepares for the Test, his careful approach to recovery and adaptation may prove critical in shaping both his performance and the team’s dynamics in the forthcoming match.
