‘Amazing Green sends huge WTC statement as Aussie cult hero sparks Marnus fear: County Wrap

Green's scary warning as he does it all! | 00:43

Cameron Green’s dominant outing for Gloucestershire was exactly what the Australian selectors would have been hoping for ahead of next month’s World Test Championship final, but they would have been concerned after Marnus Labuschagne’s disappointing return to Glamorgan.

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Batting at number five, Green top-scored in Gloucestershire’s first innings total of 516, in response to Kent’s 424, with 128 from 184 balls which included 17 fours and one six.

But his performance in the fourth innings of the game was arguably more telling as the 25-year-old remained unbeaten on 67 as he steered Gloucestershire to a nervy three-wicket win.

The West Australian has taken a liking to Kent, both of his centuries this county season have come against them.

His ton in his comeback game from back surgery last month was a statement but he was struck down with cramp upon reaching the milestone and had to retire hurt.

This time round, he was more akin to the player who smashed 174 not out against New Zealand in Wellington in the first Test of his most recent series wearing the baggy green.

He brought up his hundred with a commanding pull shot, and the fans at Bristol chanted his name as they applauded their new hero.

Cameron Green making a century for Gloucestershire. Source: X/Gloucestershire Cricket @Gloscricket Source: Twitter

“It was amazing. I definitely wanted a good score in front of the fans,” Green said afterwards. “They’ve come out in force the two games I’ve been here, and I’d never really experienced chanting of my name before, so that was awesome to experience. A really cool moment.

“I feel sorry in a way, doing it against the same opposition. But you take them when they come. We played a couple of shots, the crowd got up, and you felt like you were really on top of them.”

There was no sympathy for the opposition when Green, who has not yet returned to bowling, walked to the crease at 3-37 in pursuit of 162 on the final day, however.

Gloucestershire had 57 overs to chase down the target, and they got home with 13.5 overs to spare, but things looked very shaking when they lost their seventh wicket still needing 24 runs to win.

The Kent attack did not fluster Green though, as he hit six fours and a six, during his 90-ball innings.

Adding to the occasion was that this was Gloucestershire’s first home in 16 attempts, dating back to 2022, and the first victory of the Division Two season.

The mystery benefactor who facilitated Green’s stint with the club would no doubt have been chuffed with their purchase afterwards.

Fellow Australian Cameron Bancroft is Gloucestershire’s captain, and opening the batting he managed scores of 26 and seven.

Labuschagne meanwhile, endured a disappointing first match of the season for Glamorgan, the Welsh side he has featured for since his breakout English summer of 2019.

Batting at number three, Australia’s long-term first drop was caught at third slip in both innings for a seven-ball duck and four in Glamorgan’s eight-wicket win against Northamptonshire.

South Australia’s Harry Conway (3-99 and 0-21) dismissed the Queensland captain in the first innings, finding his edge as Labuschagne tentatively played at a ball around off stump, which sparked a massive celebration from Conway, who seems to make a habit of really enjoying claiming to scalps of fellow Australians after doing the same to Peter Handscomb recently.

Labuschagne then fell to county veteran Ben Sanderson in almost identical fashion during Glamorgan’s run chase of 66.

Reportedly slated to open the batting against South Africa at Lords to make room for Green, selectors George Bailey, Andrew McDonald and Tony Dodemaide will be desperate for Labuschagne to find form in Glamorgan’s next match at home to Middlesex, the last competitive outing before the WTC final.

Marcus Harris’ English run fest subdued in Lancashire’s draw with Derbyshire at Old Trafford.

The Victorian, who tops the run scoring charts in Division Two with 795 at 72.27 from 12 innings, was handed the captaincy after former England opener Keaton Jennings gave it up amid Lancashire’s winless start to the season.

Batting at number four, which he has done all season, Harris scored 45 in the first innings before being caught behind for 1 in the second innings.

It was his first single figure score of the campaign, in which Lancashire set second bottom with five draws and a loss.

In the same match, Tasmanian opener Caleb Jewell fell victim to the returning James Anderson (3-53 and 2-25), who played his first match of the summer for Lancashire, in both innings for 16 and 12.

The first of which was a pearler from England’s all-time leading Test wicket-taker that crashed into the top of off stump.

At Lord’s, Peter Handscomb top-scored for the match with a first innings 87 as Leicestershire defeated Middlesex by seven wickets.

The Victorian, who captains the ladder-leading Leicestershire, was the only player to raise the bat in the low scoring affair, and he finished 14 not out in their second innings chase of 102.

Also playing for Leicestershire, former reality television show Cricket Superstar winner Ian Holland, who hails from Melbourne but plays international cricket for the USA, snared 5-35 in the first innings.

In Division One, Australian Test all-rounder Beau Webster made handy contributions for Warwickshire in their 89-run loss to Hampshire.

The Tasmanian scored 41 and 18 with the bat, but did his most damage with the ball with figures of 2-42 and 4-57.

New South Welshman Daniel Hughes scored 38 and 40 opening the batting for Sussex in their five-wicket loss to Somerset.

Hughes fell to former England Test seamer Craig Overton in the first innings, and then was caught behind off the bowling of England left-arm spinner Jack Leach in the second innings, after Sussex were made to follow on following being knocked over for 152 in reply to Somerset’s 338, set up by 80 from Fox Cricket’s own Michael Vaughan’s son, Archie.

South Australia’s Jordan Buckingham had a tough outing for Yorkshire against powerhouse Surrey at The Oval.

The quick, who was part of South Australia’s victorious Sheffield Shield side, registered figures of 0/66 from 12 overs as Yorkshire only bowled once as Surrey racked up 512 on their way to an innings and 28-run victory.

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