Cameron Green gets the green light to be unleashed for Australia; England spearhead Mark Wood brushes off hamstring scare ahead of first test in Perth against Australia

A minor side strain in October prevented him from getting valuable match practice with the ball, but Green is adamant he did not go into the series short-handed.

Green is the central piece of the jigsaw for the national selectors, who will brief the players on the overnight XI to launch Australia’s Ashes defense in Perth.

With Green ready to handle his duties with bat and ball, the expectation is that he is likely to move back to No. 6, allowing Labuschagne to reclaim his prized place at first drop and well-traveled opener Jake Weatherald to make his Test debut alongside Usman Khawaja.

Green’s return to six, a position he has played more than any other, contradicts Test captain Pat Cummins’ claim that the youngest member of the Australian squad is seen as a long-term No.3.

However, this move would be in line with team balance rather than underestimating his talent. His average, albeit modest, of 23.5 from three offers no context for the difficult conditions he faced in the Caribbean, where he was arguably Australia’s best batsman.

“I’m very grateful that they see me as someone who can do all of these positions,” Green said. “I’ve moved around a lot in the Test squad. Probably because of how good the coaching staff is, they make you feel really safe no matter where you play or where you’re on the move.” [I’m] “I’m very lucky that they think that way about me, but I’m happy to bat anywhere.”

Wood’s return to the bowling alley was a source of smiles and happy eyebrow raises for the England team in their first of three training sessions at Perth Stadium ahead of the opening Test on Friday. Wicketkeeper Jamie Smith absorbed most of Wood’s magic and confirmed it was quick.

“He was fast enough, I could tell that when I came face to face with him,” Smith said. “I always look like I’m stuffed facing the board [the quick bowlers]. I ran into Jofra at Lilac Hill the other day and Woody this week.

“I know we’ve got 90 mph bowlers, but there are some you desperately want to avoid and I think Woody is definitely one of them here. But yeah, he’s bowling at a very good pace and it’s great preparation for what we have here.”

After missing the entire England season with a knee problem, Wood complained of hamstring strain in the tourists’ only Ashes warm-up match at Lilac Hill and was sent for scans.

Josh Hazlewood’s fitness level also increased after he was removed from Australia’s Perth squad due to a hamstring injury.

England squad member Josh Tongue added that he felt Wood could play this week.

“I was batting next to Smudge [Jamie Smith] He was definitely making it when he faced Woody,” Tongue said. “If his body is totally fine and management thinks he’s ready to go, I don’t see why not.” [he’d play in Perth].”

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Even if Wood is not selected in the England squad for the first Test, his ability to recover quickly from his hamstring scare means he is still on course to play a key role in the series, having been a breakneck pace bowler in each of the last two Ashes campaigns.

Wood put young England batsman Jacob Bethell and other squad players through their paces with a spell of six overs in around 30 minutes.

Wood was wearing a compression sleeve on his left leg, the source of his knee injury this year and last week’s hamstring scare, as England’s bowling coach David Saker spoke to him behind the net between innings.

After a run and then a handful of warm-ups, Wood completed his entire run with a swing or two of the bat, forcing Bethell to make quick run-away moves with the occasional short ball.

Later in Wood’s training session, England captain Ben Stokes moved into the umpire’s position to watch the spearhead closely and at one stage theatrically signaled a dead ball when Wood canceled out a run towards the field.

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England head coach Brendon McCullum chatted with team director Rob Key, stroking his goatee as they both watched Wood arrive. Key then went to talk to Saker.

A Bluetooth speaker played tracks by U2, Red Hot Chili Peppers and Green Day in the background – Wood’s fitness to field in this series will be a key factor in whether the 2025-26 Ashes will be a hit or a bust for Stokes’ team.

Stokes then took his own turn at the net and was hit by a ball from left-armer Josh Hull from midfield. Kneeling in pain for several minutes, Stokes grimaced and waved off medical attention before continuing his training. Smith said he was thinking about how to handle the short ball on bigger pitches in Australia this summer.

“All you have here compared to at times when you get back home is a real bounce from start to finish,” Smith said. “From time to time [home] In the summer months, when the wickets are a little slower, he can come out a little bit two-paced and that makes it a little bit difficult. Hopefully it’s a little easier here with a more accurate jump.”

England’s other fast bowling thoroughbred, Jofra Archer, did not bowl on Tuesday but is expected to bowl in the team’s main session on Wednesday.

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