Cameron Green answers Ricky Ponting's call amid David Warner dilemma
Australia are trying to find a solution for when David Warner retires.
Cameron Green has answered Ricky Ponting's call and put his hand up to be recalled into the Australian team having hit a breathtaking 96 runs in his Sheffield Shield return. David Warner will retire midway through the Australian summer, leaving Australia needing to fill a position at the top of the order.
The opener has made the No.1 spot his own for more than a decade and Australia are seeking a solution to who will open alongside Usman Khawaja for Australia. Recently, coach Andrew McDonald suggested Australia could find a way to get Green back into the team.
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The coaching staff rate the 24-year-old highly, despite him losing his position to Mitch Marsh during the Ashes after a run of poor performances with the bat. McDonald suggested Green could move in at No.3, which could see a new opener. Green was also even hinted at opening the batting.
This prompted Aussie cricket legend Ricky Ponting pointed to claim Green needed to head back to Sheffield Shield cricket and score some runs. "He can get a truckload of runs in Shield cricket and sort of force his way back into the side. Labuschagne has been outstanding at number three for Australia, it's very much a specialist position," Ponting said on SEN Radio.
And that is exactly what he did on Thursday. Green smashed 16 boundaries on his way to 96 as he helped Western Australia recover from 3-29 in the Sheffield Shield clash against Queensland. While he still has a while to go before convincing everyone he is back in form, Green started off his summer in superb form.
Cameron Bancroft didn't shine for his state having been dismissed for just seven runs as a number of batters are fighting it out for Australia's opening position. Will Pucovski was back amongst the runs having scored 65 in Victoria's difficult innings against South Australia.
Ricky Ponting backs Cameron Bancroft to shine
There is plenty of debate on who should fill the position when Warner retires with Bancroft, Marcus Harris and Matt Renshaw the favourites. All three having played for Austrlaia, but have failed to shine in recent opportunities. But Ponting backs former international batter Bancroft as the answer to fill the position having scored a strong number of runs back on home soil during the World Cup.
"If you look at those three guys, I think it's quite clear that Bancroft is the one that's got the runs on the board and I wouldn't be surprised if they (selectors) go that way," Ponting told SEN on Thursday. If you wind the clock back about six months it might have been a slightly different order than what it is now.
"I think they probably had Harris as the one that would come back in a while ago. To me now it sort of feels (there's) a bit more of a groundswell behind Cameron Bancroft getting first crack."
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