Paine picks Green ahead of Webster Australia XI for Ashes opener

New Delhi, Nov 10 (IANS) Former Australian Test captain Tim Paine believes Cameron Green should be picked over Beau Webster in the team’s XI for the first Ashes Test in Perth, starting November 21.

During the recent West Indies tour and the World Test Championship Final, both all-rounders played together, but Green was only utilised as a batter while he was recovering from back surgery.

Now, with Green increasing his bowling activity before the first Test, Paine believes he should be selected over the Webster if Australia plan on fielding only one of them against England.

Although Webster has performed reliably for the Aussies over their last seven Tests, Paine believes that Green’s potential is too high to overlook.

Paine mentioned on SEN Tassie Breakfast that Green might potentially surpass Webster for a spot in the XI, saying, “I don't find it staggering and I don’t think anyone should find it staggering. I try to select teams and coach teams optimistically and say right, ‘If this guy's playing at his absolute best, what does that look like?’.

"I think if you were completely honest, and we love the big Slug, but if you’re picking between him and Cameron Green as the all-rounder if they’re both fit, I think right now you’re still going with Cameron Green."

“Slug has come from probably the third or fourth all-rounder in Australia to putting pressure on Cam Green for his spot, so that’s an amazing amount of work that he's done in 18 months to close that gap and to have that conversation now. And if Cameron Green doesn't perform, there's a guy ready to step in to that place,” he added.

Although it might be tough for Webster to accept being left out after his impressive performance, Paine believes the decision highlights that the all-rounder spot is now a strength for the Aussies, with several players capable of filling the role.

“I think Cameron Green, we know he's potentially a generational player, he can change the make-up of your team, but he's got to go out and perform now if that's the way they go. He (Green) is still young and he's still getting better, and that's not to say that that Slug isn’t.

“But again, I think Slug, you can't speak highly enough of him the way he's handled the last 12 to 18 months, and even before that, to get himself in his position, he's played superbly for Tasmania for a long period of time now, and he deserves to be where he is at.

“He's got a guy in front of him at the moment that's a serious player. But it’s a great position for Australia to be in that if Cam Green can’t bowl, then we’ve got Beau Webster to come in and do a good job. He’s averaged 35 with the bat and 23 with the ball in the opportunities that he’s been given, so it makes it a difficult decision to leave him out of any team,” Paine added.

The first Ashes Test will commence on November 21.

Australia squad for 1st Test: Steve Smith (c), Sean Abbott, Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Brendan Doggett, Cameron Green, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Mitchell Starc, Jake Weatherald, Beau Webster

--IANS

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