Cameron Green’s lean run with the bat has continued, dismissed for a sixth-ball duck during Western Australia’s Sheffield Shield clash against South Australia at the WACA.
On Wednesday, the all-rounder was dismissed by seamer Brendan Doggett after thumping an off-drive directly towards Nathan McSweeney at mid-off.
The 26-year-old, Australia’s incumbent No. 3 in Tests, has averaged 21.00 at first-class level since June’s World Test Championship final, mustering one half-century in 11 knocks. He is currently playing as a specialist batter having suffered a minor side injury last week.
Green’s lack of runs and vulnerable body has created a headache for national selectors ahead of the Ashes, leaving him at risk of being dropped from the Test side if Australia requires two specialist openers and a functional all-rounder.
Meanwhile, West Australian opener Cameron Bancroft cracked his 33rd first-class century at the iconic Perth venue, reaching the milestone in 198 deliveries. The 32-year-old made the most recent of his ten Test appearances in 2019, while he remains an outside chance to feature in the Ashes this summer.
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Elsewhere, NSW duo Kurtis Patterson and Steve Smith cracked hundreds on day two of the Sheffield Shield clash at the Gabba after the Bulls won the toss and chose to bowl first.
Patterson, the Blues’ leading run-scorer last season, celebrated his 14th first-class hundred to continue a superb 12 months in red-ball cricket, while Smith looks in sublime touch having returned from New York a couple of weeks ago. The Australian vice-captain, who will lead his country during next month’s Ashes opener in the absence of the wounded Pat Cummins, needed 22 deliveries to get off the mark before racing towards triple figures in 158 balls.
Patterson was a candidate to occupy the crucial No. 3 spot in the Ashes at the start of the summer, but Marnus Labuschagne’s extraordinary form has all but ended his dream of a Test recall.
Earlier, questions about the capacity of rising star Sam Konstas to handle the intensity of an Ashes showdown have grown after another limp batting effort in Brisbane, which leaves his Test hopes hanging by a thread.
After rain forced him to wait a full day to get his chance to push his case to remain Usman Khawaja’s Test opening partner, the 20-year-old was out for just 10 after NSW was sent into bat at the Gabba.
Konstas, who had made just 71 runs in four crucial Sheffield Shield innings as he looked to push his case for an Ashes call-up, lasted just 24 balls in his fifth innings, bowled by Hayden Kerr.
The Queensland seamer made the decision to bowl around the wicket to Konstas, who shouldered arms to an inswinger which crashed into his middle stump.
He now has 81 runs in five innings, at an average of 16.2 through the opening rounds of the Shield season.
Konstas’ failure came a day after one of his rivals in the bat-off for an Ashes opening spot, Tasmania’s Jake Weatherald, was out for a duck in the final round of Shield games before selectors pick their Ashes squad.
Australian coach Andrew McDonald said on Monday no decision had yet been made on who would open the batting in the first Test against England, which begins in Perth on November 21.
Queenslander Matt Renshaw, who returned to international cricket as part of the Australian ODI team against India, has re-entered the frame and will get his chance to bat at the Gabba over the next couple of days.
Down in Melbourne, Victoria sealed a 24-run first-innings lead after bowling out Tasmania for 232. Ashes hopeful Beau Webster, returning from injury, was dismissed by all-rounder Will Sutherland for 11, while Jack Doran top-scored with 73.
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