MELBOURNE (Reuters) – Australia all-rounder Cameron Green has shrugged off an attack of cramp that overshadowed his match-winning half-century against New Zealand and is hopeful of being fit for the second ODI on Thursday.
The rangy 23-year-old was left hobbling towards the end of his career-best 89 which set the platform for a tight two-wicket victory in Cairns on Tuesday.
“I should be all good (for Thursday). I’ve got a good recovery day today. Eat a lot and recover the best you can,” he told reporters on Wednesday.
“I’m a bit of a serial cramper, to be fair. Growing up, basically whenever I got past 50 I used to cramp (in both) calves. It’s been an issue for a while.”
Perth-born Green said cramp had also plagued him as a junior player in Australian Rules football.
“If I got through the game without cramping it was a good game,” he added.
Having to bat, bowl and field as an all-rounder, Green tried drinking pickle juice on Tuesday to get the cramp under control but to no avail.
“It was obviously not great (for taste). It’s just really high in salt and it helps you kind of trick your muscle that there’s actually a lot of salt when you don’t (have),” he said.
Despite Green’s struggles, Australia’s selectors are backing the prodigious talent to become a regular all-formats player.
Playing his 11th ODI, Green’s maiden half-century against Kane Williamson’s side was another milestone for the rising Western Australian who is already a key part of Pat Cummins’s test team.
Though missing out on selection for the T20 World Cup, Green will travel with the Aaron Finch-captained squad to India for three T20 matches starting Sept. 21 in Mohali.
England test captain Ben Stokes and other players have complained that the international schedule is too taxing to play tests, ODIs and T20s for their countries.
Green’s goal of playing regularly for Australia in all formats also came with a caveat.
“I think everyone kind of aspires to be that (player) but yeah, just have to wait and see how heavy the schedule is,” he said.
(Reporting by Ian Ransom in Melbourne; Editing by Peter Rutherford)
