Cameron Green will miss the New Year's Test in Sydney against South Africa, Cricket Australia have confirmed. Scans revealed that the all-rounder has a small fracture to the index finger on his right hand. He will not bowl in the remainder of the ongoing Boxing Day Test but will be available to bat.
The 23-year-old Green was struck on the finger by an Anrich Nortje delivery late in the second day's play in Melbourne on Tuesday (December 27). He was tended to by the team doctor and subsequently retired hurt, the second player to walk off on the day after double-centurion David Warner, who suffered a bout of cramps.
Green's unavailability with the ball complicates Australia's victory push in Melbourne despite their dominant position in the game. The hosts already have Mitchell Starc nursing his fingers after injuring them while fielding on the opening day of the Test. Incidentally, it was because of Starc's injury that Green got an extended bowl and wound up with his first Test match five-wicket haul.
The all-rounder will now don the whites next on the marquee away series against India, leaving Australia with a selection decision to make for the New Year's Test. They could go shift the balance one way or the other by picking an extra batter or a bowler. Alternatively, they could even call up Western Australian all-rounder Aaron Hardie, who turned heads with a superb 174* in last season's Sheffield Shield Final and put in excellent performances for the 'A' side on the winter tour of Sri Lanka.
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