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The fifth Test of the Ashes series had not been a pretty smooth one for the Australia cricket team. The visitors lost their first four wickets within a total of 83 runs. But first a partnership of 71 runs off 74 balls between Marnus Labuschagne and Travis Head and then another solid partnership of 121 off 160 deliveries between Head and Cameron Green helped the Aussies in avoiding an early threat.
Head (101 off 113 balls) went on to score a century eventually but Green (74 off 109 balls) missed his century after he was dismissed by English pacer Mark Wood.
Attempted pull shot
Green would indeed be unhappy with the way he got out. A pull shot attempted by the 22-year-old all-rounder went straight to Rory Burns standing at deep midwicket.
Australia were eventually bowled out for 3030 in the first innings.
Former Australia skipper Ricky Ponting has now come out and praised Green. Ponting talked about the century Green could have scored and said that the Aussie all-rounder seems to be “learning pretty quickly.”
"He just had England exactly where he wanted them today," Ponting was quoted while talking to cricket.com.au.
"Flat (pitch), a bowler down, a 50-over old ball, lights on and the ball skidding on beautifully, no quality spinner. It was all there waiting for him today, but it's not going to be far away.
"If he takes that same mental approach into every innings going forward, regardless of if he's got runs in the game before or not (he'll perform well).
"That's what he'll learn. It takes a lot of people a long time to learn that but he seems to be learning pretty quickly," Ponting added.
Using the height
A lot has been said about Green’s tall figure and how the 199cm tall all-rounder can use it as an advantage. Ponting also suggested how Green can use his height and improve his playing style.
“The art of batting is minimising the margin of error for bowlers on length.
"And especially if you're that tall, you've got a better opportunity to do that.
"It just looked like he was there to get on with it a bit more and back himself a bit more and if he continues to learn and understand what that means, then he'll get better game after a game."
