Australia’s Cameron Green said on Tuesday that batting bravely on a turning Galle pitch will remain key as the tourists look to clinch the series in the second Sri Lanka Test. Green, a batting all-rounder, stood out with his fifth Test half-century in the team’s crushing win last week to go 1-0 up in the two-match series. Australia’s first innings total of 321 saw man-of-the-match Green make 77, with Usman Khawaja and wicketkeeper-batsman Alex Carey also taking the attack to the opposition bowlers.
“Over here I think, it’s a pretty clear plan or message that’s been sent from a few coaches and a few of the players saying you get into your gameplan straight away,” Green told reporters.
“You can’t take 20 balls to get yourself in and then score. And you got to be brave and play your shots really early and be clear in your first 20 balls.”
The 23-year-old Green, called a “fast-learner” by skipper Pat Cummins, handled the spinners with considerable ease before he departed.
He said the clarity of role from the skipper made things easy for him in the middle.
“You can’t sit there and survive. I think the kind of mindset we had was to score as many runs as you can before you get out. That was the kind of message that Pat gave us,” he said.
Green had played nine Tests in Australia since his debut in 2020 and three in Pakistan before batting in Sri Lanka on a viciously turning pitch.
Green, who is also a fast bowler with 16 Test wickets, said the pressure of not being handed the ball and to concentrate just on the batting part also helped him score freely.
“I think when you come over here, I haven’t any experience before but not preparing to bowl is nice to clear your mind,” said Green.
“And when you are watching you are not trying to think to get them (batsmen) out, you are thinking how to score runs on this wicket. I am concentrating on my batting.”
Green spoke about his work with Western Australia batting coach Beau Cassen, also a left-arm spinner who played one Test for Australia, who helped the player get a hang of turning sub-continent wickets in Perth.
“(When) you face him in the nets, you actually really got a gauge about what a spinner might bowl and he has got a really good idea how they go about it,” Green said.
The second Test starts in Galle on Friday.
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