Green impresses on return to bowling as Webster presses Ashes case with five-wicket haul

Cameron Green made a promising return to bowling for Western Australia in the Sheffield Shield on Tuesday as fellow all-rounder Beau Webster reminded selectors of his value ahead of the first Ashes Test by claiming five wickets for Tasmania.

On a day when Steve Smith made 57 in a dismal NSW first-innings total of 128 against Victoria, much of the attention centred on Green during day one of WA’s clash with Queensland at the WACA.

The 26-year-old, who has been nursing a minor side injury, bowled for the first time in 38 days after sending down four overs in WA’s season opener against NSW on October 4.

After two tidy overs, Green struck with his 13th delivery of the day, finding the outside edge of Angus Lovell’s bat to remove the opener for 11.

Green, who bowled to Marnus Labuschagne, Australia’s likely No.3 for the opening Test in Perth, returned figures of 1-7 from four overs in his opening spell.

By stumps, Green had figures of 1-13 from eight overs as Queensland edged to 6-323 courtesy of 50 from Labuschagne and 101 from Matt Renshaw, who had been tipped as an Ashes opener but missed out to Jake Weatherald.

Provided he can get through “15 to 20 overs” during the match, as per selectors’ expectations, Green is likely to remain in Australia’s XI for the opening Test in starting next Friday. Green’s pace was excellent and he managed to swing the ball in what is a major boost for Australia ahead of the blockbuster series.

Webster could be the unlucky man to miss out but did his chances no harm with a haul of 5-50 from 13 overs against South Australia on day two in Hobart.

After picking up the big wicket of Travis Head on Monday, Webster removed Jake Lehmann (27), Nathan McAndrew (4) and Brendan Doggett (0) to snare his fourth five-wicket haul in first-class cricket. His batting was less convincing, adding just eight runs in the second innings to finish the match with 21.

For both Green and Webster to feature in Perth, Australia would likely need to elevate Labuschagne to open.

Tasmania’s Weatherald remains the frontrunner to partner Usman Khawaja at the top of Australia’s order but could only back up his first innings score of 23 with 30 on Tuesday. He has been bowled twice in this match by Liam Scott, both times dragging deliveries back onto his stumps.

At the SCG, Victoria rammed home their advantage against a star-studded NSW side thanks to an economical opening spell from Scott Boland, who removed Sam Konstas for 12 from 59 balls.

Konstas’ lean run continued as he was bowled by a trademark Boland seamer that nipped back off the seam and sneaked between his bat and pad.

The Blues’ top order faltered, with injury substitute Ryan Hicks (16), Kurtis Patterson (7), Oliver Davies (10), Josh Philippe (7) and Jack Edwards (6) all failing to provide meaningful support for Smith, who reached his half-century from 75 balls.

Smith punished anything full, cracking 10 boundaries in his 57 as NSW were dismissed for 128 in 49.5 overs.

Sam Elliott claimed 5-26, while Boland (2-27 from 15) and Todd Murphy (2-17 from eight) put pressure on a better batting line-up than the scores suggested.

Victoria reached 2-56 at stumps to lead by 310 with two days remaining. Mitchell Starc (1-13 from five) trapped Harry Dixon lbw for the second time in the match, while Josh Hazlewood (0-16 from five) remains wicketless.

“Obviously, a lot of disappointment in our room there,” said Blues spinner Nathan Lyon, who took 0-10 from eight overs. “I think Josh has been outstanding. He doesn’t deserve ‘none-fa’ in this game.

“Healthy competition is great competition for any side. It’s good to see Greeny back bowling and Slug [Beau Webster] taking wickets. That’s what you want from your Test players.”