Coming to bowl after more than a year, Cameron Green struck with his second ball in a Sheffield Shield match at the WACA in Perth.
In professional cricket, Green had last bowled in an ODI at Chester-le-Street. After hammering Australia to amass 254-4 in 37.4 overs before rain stopped play, England won the game on DLS Method. Green’s six overs went for 45, but he did dismiss Will Jacks and Jamie Smith.
That was in September 2024. The following month, he underwent a surgery after his fifth stress fracture. He did not play any competitive cricket until April 2025 (including the Border-Gavaskar Trophy). When he did, for Gloucestershire, he did not bowl. Green played in the English summer as a specialist batter, as he did in the Test series and the T20Is in the West Indies as well as in the home T20Is and ODIs against South Africa.
Green is slated to bat at No.3 in the home Ashes, due to start in late November. Ahead of that, he will play in the ODIs against India. He expects to feature in three Sheffield Shield games in the build-up for that.
“It’s been a long 12 months, but feeling really good,” Green said ahead of the first of these games. “The body’s in a good place. It’s been a really good rehab journey. I feel stronger, fitter, my action feels good. It will be eight overs for the [Shield] game. Just a steady build-up.
“The first [Ashes] Test should be no restrictions. That’s kind of the whole plan of the last year. That’s why it’s been such a slow build up – so that you’re peaking by the time the Ashes comes around.”
Cameron Green strikes second ball on bowling comeback
Rain delayed start of play at the game. When play resumed, home captain Sam Whiteman won the toss and put New South Wales in. By stumps, the tourists were 35-3. Opener Sam Konstas, eyeing a place in the Ashes XI, fell for four.
There was little respite for NSW on the second day as Matthew Kelly (2-55) and Cameron Gannon (2-29) continued with the rout. Green finally came on as the sixth bowler in the 47th over, with NSW on 129-6.
Green’s second ball took off from short of a length and jagged back into the right-handed Charlie Stobo. Cramped for room, Stobo was unable to move his hands away: the ball brushed his glove and went to Jayden Goodwin at first slip. Green finished with a wicket-maiden.
The tail folded against Ashton Agar (3-5) as NSW collapsed to 170. William Saltzman top-scored with 43. WA, too, lost Whiteman early: at the time of writing, they were 7-1 with Cameron Bancroft (5) and Jayden Goodwin (0) at the crease. Green is scheduled to bat at two-drop.
