Ashes 2021-22: No Josh Hazlewood for Melbourne Test, but Cameron Green's presence gives Australia breather

One of Australia’s prime pacers Josh Hazlewood is likely to miss the second straight Ashes Test. The Boxing Day Test match is just two days away but the speedster did not bowl in the MCG nets on Friday and rather was seen spending time with the physios. However, his absence isn’t a very big headache for the hosts as the emergence of Cameron Green has ticked the box for them.

Hazlewood was ruled out of the second test owing to a side strain that appears to have not been cured completely. But, Australia’s other pacers looked in fine touch at the MCG nets on Christmas Eve. Hazlewood has been one of the threats to England’s skipper Joe Root having dismissed him 8 times in Test cricket, more than any other bowler in the world.

However, in his absence, Green is filling in his shoes quite precisely. He has sent back Root twice in three innings and has emerged as a like-for-like replacement. Speaking on facing him England’s red-ball captain reckoned that Green brings in an extra bit of bounce to the fore.

“I’ve played two poor shots to him. The one thing that he brings to the table is that extra bit of bounce. The danger we get sucked into in these conditions is it doesn’t do as much as it does in England. So, you feel like you can play at balls more frequently and you end up getting sucked into playing the shot that you don’t need to. I think that’s the most frustrating thing on my part, an experienced batter shouldn’t be making that mistake twice in two games. Hence why I’ve been doing the work and I expect better from myself,” Root said as quoted by ESPNcricinfo.

I’ve just got very simple plans: Cameron Green

Green has proved to be a lethal fifth bowling option for the hosts. Though his primary role in the setup is that of a lower middle-order batter he has made a difference with the ball making sure that Australia doesn’t miss the services of Hazlewood. He spoke about dismissing Root twice and said he has just got simple plans for him.

“It’s a bit of fun a moment, isn’t it? I’ve just got very simple plans for him. Basically, just keep it tight, hold it from one end, and the other guys do their job. I’ve just got lucky a couple of times. But he’s a world-class player. And even the scores he’s got so far, he obviously hasn’t got a hundred but he’s batting beautifully out in the middle. So we’ve got to be on our game again,” Green said.