Cameron Green backed for 'extended run' after drought-breaking ton

6/189 5/196 6/219 →3/121 8/109 →3/112 7/199 →86 4/172 →4/170 2/127 →7/125 4/150 →3/153 355 →263 & 54 198 & 284 →426 & 1/57 - →- - →- - →- - →- - →- - →- - →- - →- - →- - →- - →- - →- - →- - →- - →- - →- - →- - →- - →- - →- - →- - →- - →- - →- - →- - →- - →- - →- - →- - →- - →- - →- - →- - →- - →- - →- - →- - →- - →- - →- - →- - →- - →- - →- - →- - →- - →- - →- - →- Cameron Green's first Test century in Australia a sole highlight of Bangladesh loss In short: Cameron Green scored his first Test century on home soil as Australia suffered a shock nine-wicket loss to Bangladesh in Darwin. After chopping and changing batting methods and positions in the line-up, Green said it was "nice just to go back to what worked". What's next? The second and final Test against Bangladesh starts in Mackay on Saturday. Cameron Green has delivered for a shell-shocked Australian side to give himself breathing space at number five, leading captain Pat Cummins to predict a long stint in one position in the batting line-up. Green's 104 in the second innings of the nine-wicket loss to Bangladesh in Darwin was his first in Australia and also broke an 11-innings run without passing the half-century mark. The 27-year-old all-rounder has been heavily criticised in Australian cricket for not turning his undoubted potential into results. But his knock in the loss means he leaves the Northern Territory as one of the only Aussie batters who can hold their heads high, with Cummins "not too sure" on the best course of action to turn things around before the second Test starts in Mackay on Saturday. "We're always quite individual, everyone goes about it slightly differently, so coaches will work with each player individually," he said. "I don't think there was a huge trend, everyone got out a little bit differently, but I think it's pretty clear it's not quite functioning as well as we'd like as a group. "If we need to make some changes to our style, we've got a week or so, we better do it pretty quickly." Cummins said before the Test that Green had been encouraged to "intimidate" and he did it the way he knows best, driving with commanding power and poise while accumulating runs at a steady rate without taking risks. It is a method that has worked in Sheffield Shield cricket and he showcased why Test selectors have persevered with him despite the outside noise calling for his head. Green's third Test century did not lead to a win but that was largely due to the failure of the rest of the order to stay with him in good batting conditions on the third and fourth days. Australia will consider making changes to the underperforming top order for the second Test in Mackay that starts on Saturday, but Green will be one of the first picked. "I'm sure he will get an extended run somewhere," Cummins said when asked if Green had tied down the number five position. "I thought he was really impressive and controlled his innings. He looked in total command of his skills out there. He just needed one or two of us to bat alongside him." Green struggled in the last Ashes series, as many batters did, making just 171 runs at an average of 24.42 after being moved around from fifth to eighth in the order. He earlier did a solid job on the West Indies tour, averaging 30.66 at first drop as the only member of the top three to average more than 20 across the three Tests. "We obviously think very highly of Cam," Cummins said. "The last Ashes series probably didn't go as well as he would have liked but before that on the West Indian tour he was probably our best batter in really tough circumstances when he was batting a little higher. "It was great for him to go out there and show the rest of the world how good he is." Green was fortunate in the final session on the third day when an inside edge off Taskin Ahmed grazed his leg stump on the way to the boundary. The bails were not dislodged and the all-rounder dug in and made the most of his reprieve. Green told Fox Cricket after his knock that he had approached his innings against Bangladesh like he used to do "back in the day". "I think I've just been chopping and changing a little bit recently, so it's nice just to go back to what worked," Green said. "It has been a long couple of months so it is nice to get a few rewards for it." As for the critics, Green said it just came with the territory. "I feel like there are always wolves when you are playing Test cricket. When you play for Australia, you always have to perform," he said. The ABC of SPORT AAP/ABC