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Cameron Green is glad he had back surgery and hopes it is the last of his career as he prepares for his playing return in county cricket, adding that he would be happy to bat anywhere for Australia as he pushes to be selected for the World Test Championship final as a batter only.Green held his first press conference since undergoing major back surgery last October, speaking in Perth as part of Cricket Australia’s nation-wide fixture announcement for the 2025-26 summer.Green, 25, is set to make his playing return for Gloucestershire when he heads to England next week. But he revealed that he would have been fit for the Sheffield Shield final had Western Australia qualified.Related

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“The surgery has been incredible,” Green said. “I think I was probably off [my] legs for about two weeks. And after that I’ve been doing gym work for the last four or five months, been running for the last two months, been batting for the last month. It’s been pretty seamless. So, yeah, pretty happy I got it done.”It’s for the long-term goal of playing cricket for as long as I can. Bowling for as long as I can. I got it for that reason, solely. Obviously I could have healed [the stress fracture] over nine months, but I took the option to get the surgery, and hopefully, fingers crossed, that’s the last of it, which would be nice.”Green has taken a lot of confidence from speaking to Jason Behrendorff and Ben Dwarshuis, who have both had no major back issues since undergoing the same surgery. Green confirmed he has yet to bowl and won’t be fit to bowl in a game until the start of the next Shield season in October.He heads to Gloucestershire for a five-game stint in a bid to be selected for the WTC final against South Africa. He was Australia’s No. 4 when he last played in March 2024, scoring a match-winning 174 not out in his second last Test against New Zealand.But Steven Smith’s prolific return to that position means Green will have to bat somewhere else if selected. His inability to bowl until later in the year creates a selection headache given Travis Head is set to return to No. 5 while Josh Inglis and Beau Webster performed superbly in the middle-order across Australia’s last three Tests. It could be that Green finds himself in the top three.”I think we’ve got an ultra-successful top five, six, seven, so it’s never easy,” Green said. “But that’s where you want it to be in a Test team. You want someone to basically rise to the challenge, take that position for themselves and that’s what’s been done.Nathan Lyon speaks to the media•Getty Images

“They’ve had another ultra-successful summer, and I was so happy watching. But at the same time, you always want to get back into the team. So we’ll wait and see what happens.”Meanwhile, Nathan Lyon has revealed the extent of the hip injury he managed throughout the season since the opening Test against India in Perth.Lyon ripped tissue off the fascia in his left hip and as he continued to play through the pain he needed to have it twice drained of fluid.The injury ruled him out of the closing stages of the Sheffield Shield – although Lyon said he would have played the final if New South Wales had made it – and since returning from Sri Lanka he has be going through rehab to ensure he is back to full fitness for the WTC final.”I’ve been doing a fair amount of rehab, five days a week” he said. [It was] pretty painful when you land on it, but also when you run, it fills up with fluid and all that stuff. But all well and good now. So touch wood, it’s all good.”The other bowler nursing a post-season injury is Scott Boland who missed the final round of the Sheffield Shield with knee soreness. He has been managing an issue in his left knee over the past year.Boland played back-to-back Shield games for Victoria after returning from the tour of Sri Lanka where he did feature. But after taking 10 wickets against New South Wales in 36 overs, he bowled 43 against South Australia at the Junction Oval and pulled up soreCameron Green at the launch of Cricket Australia’s 2025-26 schedule•Getty Images

“It got progressively sorer as the summer went on, I think just through bowling,” Boland said. “I bowled a fair bit in those last couple of games. But I think if we made the Shield final, I would have been fine to play. So we sort of took the conservative route there and then I’ve got the next month to really build up my strength in my whole body.”Boland will carefully build up his bowling loads over the long lead-in the WTC final where it could be fighting with Josh Hazlewood for the final pace-bowling slot. He will have an outdoor net available to him at the Junction Oval despite some likely inclement April weather and will also head to Brisbane with the players who are not overseas at the IPL or the county championship for a couple of camps.Boland’s preparation will look identical to 2023 when he was Australia’s best bowler in the final against India at the Oval.”I think it’s just working out what’s working and what doesn’t,” Boland said. “I’ve only had this knee injury for eight to 10 months. I think we’re going about it the right way. I’ll have a little break now.”But once I do get up and going, I’m hoping to just go really smoothly and if everything goes well, I’ll be right to go for that one Test in England and those three Tests the Caribbean. And then after that, have another break again, and then sort of built my strengths and bowling loads again before the huge summer cricket next year.”

James Rew’s tenth first-class century guided Somerset to an unlikely first Rothesay County Championship victory of the season, a three-wicket success against Essex at the Cooper Associates Ground, Taunton.Having been 78 for 5 at one stage in their second innings, chasing 321 to win, the home side began the final day on 216 for 6, still needing 105. But Rew took his score from 65 to a superb 116, off 189 balls, with 18 fours, sharing a seventh-wicket stand of 133 with Craig Overton, who contributed 53 not out, to complete a remarkable fightback.”I would have to say that was my best innings,” Rew said. “I have always said I wanted to make a big score in a run chase and that was the case today.”Lewis Gregory last night and Craig Overton today played brilliantly. Lewis was out unluckily, but for Craig to still be there at the end was fantastic. It was a really big win for us after a tough couple of weeks.”Overton ended the game 25 minutes before lunch with a straight six off Simon Harmer, which took him to a 111-ball half-century notable for unbroken concentration and application in a pressure situation.Overton said: “It was probably the most important innings I have played for Somerset. Beating Essex is always special because we have had some ding-dong battles with them over the years.”The win could be massive in turning our season around. It hasn’t been the start we wanted, but now we can look forward with confidence to moving up the table.”We had to leave some live grass on the wicket to give our bowlers something to work with and all credit to our groundstaff for producing a pitch that made for a very good game.”Essex had let things slip with some wayward bowling the previous evening and their bowlers found scant assistance in a last-day pitch that had aided seam and spin considerably in the previous sessions.They had to settle for three points, having been on top for long periods, while Somerset claimed a welcome 19 after a disappointing start to the campaign.Chris Silverwood, Essex’s director of cricket, said: “We let it slip away yesterday afternoon. The game is all about winning moments and Somerset grabbed two great opportunities to give themselves a chance to win the match today.”The pitch got better to bat on, but all credit to James Rew for the way he played. I thought it was a great hundred. We will look back and think there were certain things we could have done better, but yesterday was the key.”The Essex attack would have welcomed the first meaningful cloud cover of the match when play began with 12 overs to a second new ball, Sam Cook opening up from the Marcus Trescothick Pavilion End and offspinner Harmer operating from the River End.Overton, unbeaten on 4 overnight, played and missed at the first delivery of the morning from Cook, but soon he and Rew were eating into the target for victory, the latter clipping Cook through wide mid-on for the first boundary and edging a second to third man off the next ball.Overton reigned himself in commendably against Harmer, content to pick gaps in the field for ones and twos, while using his long reach to negate any spin. Rew, who had looked in prime form the previous evening, was the more aggressive as the score passed 250 and he moved into the 90s.With the sun breaking through, the pair safely negotiated the opening half hour, experiencing few alarms. But there was still the matter of the new ball, taken at 258 for 6, with a further 63 needed and Essex under pressure to break the stand.Cook began his second spell of the morning with it. At the other end Jamie Porter found the inside edge of Rew’s bat only for the ball to fly past wicketkeeper Michael Pepper for four, taking the Somerset man onto 97.His 161-ball century came up with a back-foot shot through the leg side for two off Porter, a mature innings from a young player who looks destined for an international future. There was still work to do, but Somerset were starting to look firm favourites as Overton brought up the hundred partnership.Essex quickly reverted to Harmer from the River End, who beat the outside edge of Rew’s bat in his first over with the harder ball. But it was a rare moment of anxiety for Somerset as Overton, who had moved patiently to 27 without hitting a boundary, opened his shoulders to drive Hamer through mid-off for four.Rew also sensed victory was assured as he cut loose with some sweetly-struck shots. But his brilliant contribution ended with just nine runs required, lbw aiming to launch Harmer over the leg side.It mattered little as Overton off-drove Harmer for four and then smashed the ball back over his head, pumping a fist as celebrations began in the home dressing room.

Rajasthan Royals (RR) have signed Lhuan-dre Pretorius as a replacement for Nitish Rana, who has been sidelined from the rest of IPL 2025 with injury. The South African will join RR for INR 30 lakh.In another signing, RR have brought in Nandre Burger for the injured Sandeep Sharma. Burger, who was with RR last season as well, comes in for INR 3.5 crore.* Sandeep had hurt his finger while attempting to stop a shot from Shubman Gill off his own bowling against Gujarat Titans in Jaipur. In ten games this season, Sandeep picked up nine wickets at an economy rate of 9.89.Pretorius, 19, is a powerful left-hand opening batter and wicketkeeper. He is yet to make his international debut but finished as the leading run-scorer at SA20 2025 with 397 runs at a strike rate of 166.80 in 12 matches. His 51-ball 97 for Paarl Royals against Sunrisers Eastern Cape was one of the best knocks of the season. After his stint at the SA20, he was signed up by Hampshire for Vitality Blast for his first county stint.Last year, he was South Africa’s highest run-getter at the 2024 Under-19 World Cup.As far as Rana is concerned, he had two noteworthy performances for RR this season. He scored a 36-ball 81 against Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in Guwahati and 51 off 28 against Delhi Capitals (DC) in Delhi. RR have been knocked out of the tournament along with Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) and CSK. They have won only three out of 12 matches in 2025 and remain ninth in the ten-team tournament.Their remaining matches are against CSK in Chennai on May 12 and Punjab Kings (PBKS) in Jaipur on May 16.

Jasprit Bumrah has said that he didn’t want to become India’s Test captain because of workload management and that he had communicated the same to the BCCI, who were looking at him as a leadership candidate at the time.After Rohit Sharma had announced his retirement from Test cricket in May, Shubman Gill was picked as India’s new Test captain for the upcoming five-match series against England.”There’s no fancy stories to it [captaincy],” Bumrah told during an interview with Dinesh Karthik. “There is no controversy or there’s no headlining statements that I was sacked or I was not looked after. Before Rohit (Sharma) and Virat (Kohli) retired during the IPL, I had spoken to BCCI that I have discussed about my workloads going forward in a five Test-match series. I’ve spoken to the people who have managed my back. I’ve spoken to the surgeon as well, who’s always spoken to me about how smart you have to be about the workloads.Related

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“I did speak to him and then we came to a conclusion that I have to be a little more smart. I called the BCCI and said I don’t want to be looked at in a leadership role because I won’t be able to give [it my] all Test matches coming a five Test-match series. So then, yes, the BCCI was looking at me at leadership. But then I had to say no. It’s not fair for the team as well that in a five Test-match series, someone is leading in three matches and someone else in two matches. It’s not fair on the team and I always wanted to put the team first.”During the final Border-Gavaskar Test in Sydney in January earlier this year, Bumrah had suffered a back injury. What was initially reported as back spasms then turned out to be a stress-related injury, which forced him to miss the Champions Trophy and the start of IPL 2025.Bumrah has been cautious about his workload since and is likely to play only three of the five Tests in England. Former New Zealand fast bowler Shane Bond, who has also worked with Bumrah at MI in the IPL, had also suggested caution, saying another back injury for Bumrah in the same spot where he had surgery “could be a career-ender”.”[We will] plan on the go,” Bumrah said when asked about whether he would play the first, third and the fifth matches. “Three Test matches is what I’m looking at. Obviously that number is not decided. First [Test] is definitely on, that is going to happen. The rest we’ll see how things are, what is the workload, what are the scenarios going on. Three Test matches is what I can manage at this moment. And I don’t want to be in a desperate scenario.Jasprit Bumrah’s all smiles during a practice session•Bipin Patel

“I cannot be dictating if I’d have been the captain that, ‘okay, I’ll only play three Test matches’. That doesn’t send a good message in the team as well. All of these things in mind, trying to give my best as a player and trying to contribute to the best of my capacity. Hopefully in the games that I play, I’ll give it my absolute best.”Bumrah had marked his return to action in IPL 2025, taking 18 wickets in 12 games at an average of 17.55 and economy rate of 6.67. His returns were vital to his team, Mumbai Indians (MI), making the knockouts after they had started the season with four defeats in their first five games.Bumrah, 31, said that he had “no complaints” about his body going into the Test series in England. “The body is feeling good. All good, no issues,” Bumrah said. “I played an IPL, a hectic IPL. I always try my best to look after my body and do everything that is there in my power. The weather is good. It was hot in India. Now we are experiencing a different weather.”Bumrah has been cautious against big spikes in his workload and has steadily built it up to be ready for the first Test, which begins on June 20 at Headingley.14:58

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“So, it is all about workload. You don’t want to have a big spike,” Bumrah said. “So even during the IPL, we had spoken to the trainers and physios, what do we have to do, how do we slowly increase our weekly workload? We were doing that in IPL. We don’t just bowl four overs. We bowl six to eight overs. Then we have a weekly load and warm-ups. Even before the game, we try and squeeze in those overs.”So eventually by the time we reach here, we are at a decent level. From here, we still have some time, we keep building it up. So, by the time the Test matches come, you’re physically ready and the spike is not too much and the body is used to bowling a lot more overs.”There had been concerns around Bumrah’s workload during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. He bowled 152.1 overs in nine innings in Australia, picking up 32 wickets at 13.06. Will he be able to shoulder similarly high workloads in England or will he shift his focus to shorter spells?”It all depends,” Bumrah said. “Even in Australia, I was the captain in the first game and a little bit in the last game. But for me, it doesn’t go that this is the plan going forward. Obviously, in Australia, there were certain scenarios that we had to push extra because the series was on the line.”I was doing really well. And you wanted to be in a scenario where you wanted to give yourself the best chance and the team the best chance because you would have won that series. WTC [final] was possible.”Having said that, whenever you play for India, you never think of, ‘I’m not going to do this. I’m not going to do that, I’m going to protect myself.’ But going further, you have to be smart. Sometimes the workload goes really high. There’s less time between Test matches. It takes a lot out of a fast bowler. So, coming to this series, I’ve prepared really well. But I have to be smart as well because I’m not becoming younger by the day.”

Hampshire 90 for 0 (Weatherley 43*, Middleton 34*) trail Nottinghamshire 578 for 8 dec (James 203*, Haynes 103, McCann 79, Hutton 71) by 498 runsLyndon James masterfully struck his maiden double-century as title-chasing Nottinghamshire took control of their Rothesay County Championship clash with Hampshire.James helped his side to maximum batting points with an awesome 203 not out, overtaking his previous personal best of 164.With him, Jack Haynes took himself to a fourth hundred of the season – the most in Division One – while Brett Hutton’s 71-run cameo allowed Nottinghamshire to declare on 578.Joe Weatherley and Fletcha Middleton reached close with no damage for the hosts – ending on 90 without loss, in arrears by 498 runs.The day was a procession of bat raises from Nottinghamshire batters – six of them in total.Haynes was the first as he converted his overnight 70 to three figures in 42 day-two balls – 129 in total. It was the fourth time he had passed fifty, and the fourth time he had converted to a hundred this season.But after a flourish of drives and boundaries, his 106-run stand with James was ended when Kyle Abbott got Haynes chipping the second new ball to mid-on.Hampshire had an inexperienced attack – without Keith Barker, Liam Dawson, Brad Wheal and John Turner – and failed to build any pressure throughout the day, albeit with an unhelpful ball.However trouble-free much of the bowling was, the batter standards were incredibly high – led by James.The all-rounder kept up the scoring rate throughout his innings as he mixed a constant yearning for runs with a tight technique.His one major life came on 94 when Hampshire missed a third chance in the slips during the innings – a frequent pattern this season, and one which was met by derision in the stands and by Abbott curling into a frustrated ball at mid-on.James shook off the nineties nerves to reach his second century of the season, and the sixth of his career – one of real fluency.Liam Patterson-White had accompanied him for 66 runs – one of six partnerships to pass 40 – before James Fuller pinned him lbw.But Hutton – who will be replaced by Josh Tongue from day three onwards after his release from the England squad – arrived to ignite the innings even further.Where fours had previously been struck, short balls were cannoned into the stands by both Hutton and James – combined they struck 12 in total – as any hope of containing them had disappeared for Hampshire.Nottinghamshire reached maximum batting points – which could be crucial in their Championship bid. They had started the round just a point behind leaders Surrey.Hutton picked out long-on for an 87-ball 71, but James kept going despite being disturbed by tea when on 197. He reached his double century with a flick to the boundary and a fist pump.Nottinghamshire immediately declared on 578 and gave Hampshire’s refreshed opening pair of Middleton and the recalled Weatherley a testing 32 overs – with Ali Orr absent with a concussion suffered in the Second XI.As it happened, both breezed through with sturdy defences, although the defensive nature could harm their quest for much needed bonus points in the long term.

Mitchell Starc termed the Jamaica Test match as an “uncomfortable” one for him. West Indies’ batters might well have said, “speak for yourself”. Starc was not, of course, referring to when he had the pink ball in hand.Starc’s feelings around the last few days refer to the attention on him for his 100th Test. “Get on with the cricket,” he said ahead of the game. He has often spoken about how he will only reflect on landmarks and achievements when he hangs up the bowling boots. In this match, he added plenty to the list: a triple-wicket opening over, his 400th wicket, and the quickest five-wicket haul in a Test innings.It was as though he was putting together his own highlights package to mark the occasion: inswingers, pads struck, stumps splattered. Only one of his wickets needed the assistance of a fielder. In some ways, it was a bit of a shame Mikyle Louis got his pad in the way of the 400th.Related

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The night before the match, Starc was presented with a couple of signed shirts and a bottle of Jamaican rum to mark his century. But what seemed most special was a video put together with messages from family, friends, former Australia cricketers and players from his AFL team, Greater Western Sydney Giants.”It’s certainly been uncomfortable throughout the week,” he said. “I was happy just to have a win and sing the song. It’s certainly been a special week to play, to wear the baggy green. It’s been one I’ll cherish for a long time.”Such was the speed of Australia’s victory (or West Indies’ disintegration) that supporters were playing on the outfield before it even went dark. While Starc and Scott Boland finished the game in the blink of eye, this was not a collapse under lights. On the first two days of the match, wickets had been hard-earned in the first two sessions. But on the third, the sun hadn’t even started setting when Starc claimed three in his first over.In fact, Australia bowled just nine overs under lights for the game, on the first evening after they made the decision to have a thrash, losing 7 for 68 in the process. They found themselves batting under lights yesterday and were 99 for 6. In the fourth innings, they were preparing to try and hold the game until the lights took hold, hoping 203 runs would be enough to take the game deep if needed.”[It’s] probably a win against the conditions in the fact that we only bowled ten [nine] overs under lights,” Starc said. “I think everyone today with the ball was pretty spot on. I don’t think anyone thought it was going to happen that quickly. We were talking about almost consolidating the scoreboard until we got closer to that night session.”It wasn’t a plan to drag it out. [But] if things weren’t happening straight away, we knew that things would happen quicker in the night session. [It was like] this is what we want to do at the start, but if it doesn’t happen straight away, let’s just chill out and stop the scoreboard and cash in at night. Didn’t need to.”Starc’s 6 for 9 took him to 20 wickets at 16.45 in this four-Test stretch, which started with the World Test Championship final. For the second time in ten Tests, following his 6 for 48, also with the pink ball against India last season in Adelaide, he has improved his career-best.Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins lead the trophy celebrations•AFP/Getty Images

“I felt like my rhythm has been pretty good for a while now,” he said. “Even coming into the lead up to Lord’s, I felt like everything was clicking into place. It’s been nice to have that carry on throughout the series. Today, again, just felt like everything was in sync and got some late swing. I think perhaps the breeze might have helped in the fact that I wasn’t under lights.”Starc’s six and Boland’s hat-trick meant that for just the second time in an innings of significance when he was fit, Pat Cummins wasn’t required to bowl. “My favourite part,” he joked.”I think a lot of the chat leading into this week is how resilient you need to be and professional to make it 100 Tests,” Cummins said of Starc. “[But] I think that’s kind of the Starcy I always remember playing alongside. He can tear a game open by himself really in the matter of a couple of overs. It feels like he can do it in any format, any time.”When day-night Tests were introduced, Starc was a strong voice questioning the wisdom of it. He still believes they need to be scheduled carefully, and that Adelaide is an ideal model, but he can see a place for them – 81 wickets 17.08 no doubt helps.”It’s good for my record,” he said with a smile.

Fast bowler Alzarri Joseph has been rested while allrounder Romario Shepherd is back in West Indies’ ODI squad for the upcoming three-match series at home against Pakistan. Alzarri, who had also been rested for the T20Is against Pakistan, will continue to have his workload being managed.Shepherd had last played ODI cricket in December 2024 and missed the ODI series against England and Ireland this year.Having been swept 3-0 by England in their most recent ODI series, West Indies, currently ranked tenth, are eyeing crucial points in their quest to secure direct qualification for the 2027 ODI World Cup.”Pakistan presents a different test and challenge as we continue our push for automatic qualification for the 2027 World Cup,” head coach Daren Sammy said in a statement. “The upcoming matches against teams like Pakistan, who are ranked higher, provide crucial opportunities to earn valuable ranking points to improve our standing ahead of the World Cup.”Related

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In Alzarri’s absence, rookie left-arm seamer Jediah Blades has been picked in the squad. Blades, 23, has played just one ODI and four T20Is so far and is capable of swinging the new ball. The rest of the side has a familiar look.West Indies had recently lost the T20I series 2-1 to Pakistan but their ODI form at home is encouraging: they have won their last three series so far. The Brian Lara Cricket Academy in Trinidad will host all three matches against Pakistan on August 8, 10 and 12.

West Indies ODI squad

Shai Hope (capt), Jewel Andrew, Jediah Blades, Keacy Carty, Roston Chase, Matthew Forde, Justin Greaves, Amir Jangoo, Shamar Joseph, Brandon King, Evin Lewis, Gudakesh Motie, Sherfane Rutherford, Jayden Seales, Romario Shepherd

Toss Sri Lanka won the toss and chose to bowl against Hong Kong in Dubai as the defending champions look to make it two wins in two in the Asia Cup.Sri Lanka made one change to the side that registered a comprehensive win over Bangladesh, bringing in spinner Maheesh Theekshana for fast bowler Matheesha Pathirana, opting for just two frontline quicks in Dushmantha Chameera and Nuwan Thushara.Hong Kong also made one change, with Shahid Wasif coming in as a like-for-like replacement in the middle order for Kalhan Challu.This is the first time these two teams are facing each other in international cricket.Hong Kong XI: Zeeshan Ali (wk), Anshy Rath, Babar Hayat, Nizakat Khan, Shahid Wasif, Kinchit Shah, Yasim Murtaza (capt), Aizaz Khan, Ayush Shukla, Ateeq Iqbal, Ehsan KhanSri Lanka XI: Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Mendis (wk), Kamil Mishara, Kusal Perera, Charith Asalanka (capt), Kamindu Mendis, Dasun Shanaka, Wanindu Hasaranga, Maheesh Theekshana, Dushmantha Chameera, Nuwan Thushara

Sam Konstas has been dropped from Australia’s Test squad for the first Ashes Test against England with Tasmania opener Jake Weatherald handed his first international call-up as the national selectors pick a 15-man group that gives them a host of options.Marnus Labuschagne, who was dropped in West Indies earlier this year, is set to be recalled into the XI following a prolific start to the season with Queensland, but where he bats remains uncertain and will likely be dictated by whether Cameron Green can operate fully as an allrounder.Related

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Chair of selectors George Bailey said no decision had been made on the batting order or the final XI but stressed Labuschagne could bat anywhere.”He can bat three, he could open,” Bailey said. “He’s got the skill set for both, but he’s been looking pretty good of late.”Bailey said Weatherald had earned his place after scoring 1391 runs at 53.50 striking at 68.65 opening the batting for Tasmania and Australia A in the last 14 months.”I think it’s a pretty solid record for sort of 18-24 months,” Bailey said. “I don’t think there’s any one innings, but there’s been a good consistency, I think, in the way that he approaches his batting. I think he’s in a really clear place. We don’t see any sort of shifting innings to innings from the way he goes about it.”So that says to me that he’s someone who has a clear understanding of the way they want to play and the way they feel like they’ll get the best performances out of themselves. And by virtue of that, he just happens to score at four runs an over, and has some natural attacking strengths without sort of being cavalier with that.”Bailey added Konstas had taken the axing very well after a conversation with him on Wednesday morning.ESPNcricinfo Ltd

“Every conversation with Sam is a joy,” he said. “He’s got a great outlook on life. He remains incredibly upbeat. The scrutiny on him is almost unprecedented on some levels, I think. So, just checking in, seeing how he’s feeling about the start of the year, what his focus is at the moment. And then it was just more what we could do to support him going forward, and what we’d like to see. And as complicated as we try and make cricket, really it’s about runs.”Green and fellow allrounder Beau Webster have both been named in the squad although it remains to be seen whether both will play in the same XI as they have done in Australia’s last four Test matches.Green is set to bowl 15 to 20 overs for Western Australia in the next Shield game at the WACA ground starting on November 11.Bailey stressed that both allrounders could play in the same team and reiterated that Green was capable of batting anywhere having been one of Australia’s best batters in their last two Tests at No. 3 on difficult surfaces in the Caribbean. But Bailey also noted that how Green pulls up after increasing his bowling loads in the fourth Shield round is something the selectors will keep a close eye on.If the cap fits: Jake Weatherald is in the mix for a Test debut•Getty Images

“It’s nice to have options,” he said. “Cam Green bowling is certainly one [to watch]. And then I think just by virtue of the fact that there’s 14 guys out of your 15-man squad that are playing Shield cricket, just get through the game and see how everyone’s pulled up.”I think it’s probably as much just a physical check in. With that squad, yes, there’s options in terms of how we can and may structure it up, but … there’s not a rush, and there’s never a rush to name a team 16 days out before the first ball is going to be bowled.”Usman Khawaja is the only one of the squad that won’t play the upcoming Shield round. Bailey revealed that Khawaja had picked up a minor “adductor strain” in the most recent game but it doesn’t make him a doubt for the Test. It was long planned that Khawaja would play the first three Shield rounds and miss the fourth.Steven Smith will captain the side in Pat Cummins’ absence. Cummins, who has been battling a lumbar stress injury, will travel to Perth with the group and continue to build up his bowling loads in the hopes of being fit for the second Test in Brisbane.Josh Hazlewood, Mitchell Starc, Scott Boland and Nathan Lyon look set to be the four-man attack, supported by at least one allrounder, with Lyon returning to the XI after being left out of Australia’s last Test in Jamaica when the selectors opted for four quicks.Cameron Green’s bowling will be key to the final make-up of Australia’s XI•Getty Images

Brendan Doggett and Sean Abbott have been named as the reserve fast bowlers. Doggett returns to the squad after being withdrawn from the Caribbean tour due to a hip injury.Abbott remains in the squad having been a reserve fast bowler on both the West Indies tour and the tour of Sri Lanka earlier this year. There is no room for Michael Neser despite his excellent start to the season for Queensland having taken 11 wickets in his first two Shield matches on batter-friendly pitches including two four-wicket hauls. Bailey said Neser is still in the mix to play later in the series.”He still is in the frame absolutely,” Bailey said. “The bowling conversation is just complementary skill sets for what we think we may need should there be any moving parts for Perth.”Josh Inglis has been included as the reserve wicketkeeper but can also fill a role as a reserve batter having played as a specialist bat in three Tests this year. He also kept wicket in Australia last Test bowling innings in Jamaica when Alex Carey was subbed out with concussion.Inglis will play in the fourth Shield round for WA against Queensland at the WACA ground which starts on November 11, just three days after the final T20I against India in Brisbane on November 8.

Australia squad for first Test against England

Steven Smith (capt), Sean Abbott, Scott Boland, Alex Carey (wk), Brendan Doggett, Cameron Green, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis (wk), Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Mitchell Starc, Jake Weatherald, Beau Webster

Despite a bright bowling performance from the West Indies seamers, half-centuries from New Zealand’s Devon Conway and Mitchell Hay extended the hosts’ advantage after an absorbing second day of the Wellington Test. New Zealand secured a 73-run first-innings lead before a double-wicket burst from their quicks left West Indies still 41 behind with eight wickets in hand.West Indies produced bursts of quality with the ball to keep pegging New Zealand back, and several home batters contributed to their own dismissals with loose shots. But the visitors also offered enough scoring opportunities for Conway and Hay to make valuable inroads.Conway’s 60 – his first fifty against West Indies and 13th overall – anchored one end, while debutant Hay struck an enterprising 61 from No. 6. Their efforts allowed New Zealand to declare at 278 for 9, with the injured Blair Tickner not batting.Related

• Tickner not to bowl or field, unlikely to bat for remainder of the Test

With the relatively new ball, Kemar Roach, Jayden Seales, Ojay Shields and Anderson Phillip consistently challenged the batters as the ball swung both ways and occasionally jagged off the surface. Conway, however, punished the loose deliveries, hitting eight fours – mostly cuts and flicks – to keep New Zealand moving.From the non-striker’s end, he saw Tom Latham (11) lose his off stump to a nip-backer from Roach from around the wicket, before watching Kane Williamson (37) have his off stump pegged back by an Anderson Phillip delivery that squared him up. After lunch, Rachin Ravindra – who made 176 in Christchurch – was caught behind off Roach while chasing a wide one. Conway himself was then caught down the leg side off a poor Justin Greaves delivery, thanks to a superb diving take from Tevin Imlach. At that stage, New Zealand seemed to be wobbling at 117 for 4.Mitchell Hay scored a half-century on debut•Getty Images

A fifth-wicket stand of 73 between Daryl Mitchell (25) and Hay – the latter playing in place of the injured Tom Blundell – brought New Zealand closer to West Indies’ first-innings score of 205. Mitchell was conservative, while Hay leaned on his white-ball instincts to score his runs, producing strong cuts through the off side and, when tested with short balls, pulling confidently over the leg side.Mitchell, like Conway, was eventually strangled down the leg side off Phillip. Hay later fell to the short-ball tactic: after striking back-to-back fours behind square leg, he miscued a pull off Shields straight to Roach at deep-backward square and walked back bitterly disappointed. At 213 for 6, New Zealand then leaned on Glenn Phillips (18) and the lower order to extend their lead.West Indies continued to pepper Phillips with short balls in a cat-and-mouse exchange that brought body blows and top-edges over the keeper. Seeking a change, captain Roston Chase turned to spin for the first time in the innings, and needed only four deliveries to tempt Phillips into a slog that failed to clear deep midwicket.Zak Foulkes then batted 43 balls and frustrated West Indies with deflections off the seamers’ through the gully region on his way to an unbeaten 23. Jacob Duffy added further runs with boundaries to long-off and long-on, and No. 10 Michael Rae joined a rare group of batters to begin their Test careers with five runs off an overthrow boundary. Rae reached 13 before the expensive Seales finally claimed his first wicket of the match, knocking back the debutant’s leg stump.New Zealand’s batting may have been patchy, but their bowlers restored control with a sharp ten-over burst late in the day. John Campbell fell in the seventh over, beaten by a Rae delivery that zipped in to hit off stump. Next over, nightwatcher Phillip initially survived a DRS review for caught behind off Duffy, but a second look confirmed he was lbw instead. Brandon King (15*) and Kavem Hodge (3*) saw out the final few minutes, but West Indies still face a steep challenge when play resumes on Friday.