Australian all-rounder Cameron Green spoke about his innings against New Zealand in the ongoing first Test. He admitted that he was struggling to get going, but Mitchell Marsh took all the pressure off him.
Cameron Green was the shining light for Australia on Day 1 of the ongoing first Test against New Zealand. When asked to bat first, Australia were struggling at 89/4. It looked like they would get everything under 200, especially with the way the hosts were playing.
However, it was then Cameron Green who stepped up for the team. The all-rounder initially struggled in his innings and hit five off 28 balls. But as soon as Mitchell Marsh (40) joined him at the crease, things looked completely different.
Mitchell Marsh (40) took all the pressure off Cameron Green as he batted aggressively and helped the team get some quick runs. This allowed Green to take some time to get into a rhythm. And once in, he took the game away from the Black Caps.
Cameron Green then looked rock solid at the crease. He defended the ball quite well and also took calculated risks. The all-rounder scored a sensational century and played a lone warrior knock for his team while other batsmen perished after openings.
Talking about his innings, Cameron Green highlighted how batting at number 4 suits his game. The all-rounder pointed out how Mitchell Marsh’s innings allowed him to adjust as the lanky number 6 scored runs quickly. Speaking to reporters, he explained;
“I was fighting for my part and I know how Mitch [Marsh] plays having played with him quite a bit for Western Australia
It’s where I like to bat for Western Australia. [No.4 position]It suits my game and I found it difficult to bat after Heady for a few years.
“He [Marsh] it just made scoring look too easy, and it would take me a little while to achieve. So someone like Mitch Marsh is really beautiful for that. [No.6] position. His approach is just as aggressive, if not more so, than Heady, so number four suits me. But the question is whether or not that suits the team.”
I thought his innings was really crucial for us today – Cameron Green on Mitchell Marsh
Cameron Green also praised Mitchell Marsh for his 39-ball, 40-run knock. He noted that this all-rounder put pressure on New Zealand again when things got tough for them. He added that Marsh’s innings helped them dull the ball and put the opponents on their backs. He added:
“He always loves to score and that was exactly what we needed at that moment. Just to put some pressure back on them when things were tough and someone looking to score is really dangerous. I thought his innings were really crucial for us today, just to put them on the back foot and try to take a little shine off the ball.”
Apart from Mitchell Marsh, Steve Smith (31) and Usman Khawaja (33) played vital hands at the top of the order. However, they both came out after a good start. On the first day, Australia were 279/9 and Cameron Green was unbeaten on 103.