'Cameron sticks to his plans & balances out our side really well'

TOWNSVILLE: Australia white-ball skipper Aaron Finch has said he is mighty pleased with the way tall all-rounder Cameron Green is shaping up in limited-overs cricket after the 23-year-old grabbed his maiden five-wicket haul in the opening One-day International against Zimbabwe, guiding the hosts to a five-wicket win here.

Green decimated Zimbabwe's middle-order, returning figures of 5/33 in nine overs as the visitors were bundled out for 200 in 47.3 overs.

Australia then overhauled the target for the loss of five wickets with David Warner scoring a half-century and Steve Smith and all-rounder Glenn Maxwell coming up with useful contributions.

"He (Green) sticks to his plans really well," Finch was quoted as saying by cricket.com.au.

"He adapts on the run which is really important in this format of the game. For someone that young to have that much cricketing nous is really important and he just balances out our side so well," added Finch.

Green, who began the demolition drive with the vital wicket of Sikandar Raza, said he is happy with the way he is gelling in the ODI team. The all-rounder had also played a vital role with the ball in the Ashes series grabbing 13 wickets at an average of 15.76.

"I just had a really clear game plan," Green said after being adjudged Player of the Match. "I wouldn't say anything has changed from the previous games. I just got a bit lucky at the end there. I was just trying to bowl back of a length on a wicket that was going up and down, so I didn't really have to change what I was doing too much."

"I didn't initially get the heads up that (closing out the innings) would be my role. But when Finchy (captain Finch) threw me the ball I was really excited to have a crack at that.

I didn't really have to hit yorkers or change too much from what I do normally but it's just something I'll have to keep working on."