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Full Noise by SN
Why Andrew McDonald isn't worried about Cam Green
Harry Cumming • March 31st, 2026 4:44 pm
Australian Cricket Coach Andrew McDonald is excited for the future as a jam-packed schedule across the three formats awaits.
Following a massive Summer of Cricket where Australia defeated England 4-1 in the Ashes but had a dismal performance in the T20 World Cup, McDonald is optimistic that Australia will continue to flex its muscle across all formats of the game.
There was much to discuss as McDonald joined SEN’s Whateley with the conclusion of the Sheffield Shield season, Cam Green’s form over the summer and the demanding schedule that Australia faces all on the agenda.
Check out his responses below.
On Cam Green’s recent form and future spot in the side
“I don't think he should be worried or it’s not the right word,” McDonald told SEN's Whateley.
“He's still on a journey, and, yeah, I mean, there was an incident there that was very unlike Cameron Green at the end of the summer, with a well-known journalist. So, I don't need to delve into that, wasn't on the ground for that.
“He's obviously come off a significant injury and had surgery.
“So, I think there's a lens in Australia that's slightly biased towards what he's done on the home shore so that's a challenge for him. I think he's good enough.
“There's huge expectation within the IPL, and there's huge expectation with any all-rounder that shape for an Australian team.
Whateley: Are you determined to keep picking him?
McDonald: “I think the answer to that is yes…
"He's good enough. We'll see out the journey with him... it's only a matter of time before he's performing for Australia."
On Alex Carey’s performance in the Sheffield Shield final
“There's a lot to be said around maintaining your excellence across a period of time, and in particular on the back of such an intense summer with the Ashes, but to see him performing (was great).
“And then even the catch off Ollie Peake, later in the game, diving sort of full stretch left.
“He's under fatigue, under the summer that he's had to push through, to maintain his excellence.
“There's a lot to be said around the way that he prepares, his physical traits, but also that sort of mental hardness to be able to do that and perform.”
On the quality of Shield players and the next crop pushing for selection
“There's a huge importance on it, but to see players under extreme pressure in those moments, gives us as selectors and coaches a real window to what they potentially would be like at the international level.
“So, I think there's a huge connection there.
“I think the Shield season has been so competitive, so even, there are quality cricketers there, and I think sometimes we don't appreciate how good the talent is there and that underpins our Australian team. I hope people have seen that through this summer, where we were stretched in an Ashes.
“There were opportunities for players to stand up from Shield cricket and some great stories with Brendan Doggett and obviously Michael Neser have been two of those.
“Scotty Boland not that far back, so Shield cricket does underpin a lot of our success at the Test level.”
On the state of pitches in Australia
“There's a conversation around the wickets and the seaming conditions that have favoured the ball.
“But you look at that, and then you see a quality player like Alex Carey go and get 100, so, there's an element that it is possible.
“But you look at the amount of starts across this game, and then, you know, 52, 26, 37, 18, there's a lot of 20s and 30s and 40s.
“It does appear that it's difficult to maximise the long innings on the surfaces that we are playing and there's an element that teams gear up to their strengths as well.
“I think around the country, there are some strong bowling attacks, and in particular, that they are quality seam attacks that given conditions in their favour are going to make it difficult for opposition batters.”
On reviewing the Ashes series where Australia won 4-1
“We look at what we planned, we review what we planned, and in the sort of selection, strategy and coaching part, we did that 12 months out, and it looked nothing like it when we actually got into action.
“So I suppose how we reviewed this Ashes was how quickly we were able to move, make decisions, and really the questions we asked ourselves to get, to the selection outcomes.
“Even leaving Nathan Lyon out of the Gabba, as I said, we don't like doing that, but the way that we wanted to play that game, the strategy leading in, all things led to us leaving out Nathan Lyon. And that game played out exactly how we expected it to.
“So there is a vision for the series, all those categories, we like to sit down, we review them and then ultimately, what does that inform moving forward?
“So there's some things that we'll put in place coming up.”
“4-1 to me was a scoreline that probably got glossed over in amongst what you may call it a little bit of dysfunction within the opponent, and sometimes people stare at that and look at that and don't recognise how good we actually were and how consistent we were across the summer to be able to deliver that result.”
On T20 World Cup failure
“Yeah, not our finest and an incredibly disappointing campaign.
“For a team that's over the two-year period post the West Indies World Cup, winning at 80% and doing a lot right, we did have a few moving parts late, and we lost Josh Hazlewood and Pat Cummins and then Mitch Marsh wasn't able to play the first couple of games, but there are no excuses.
“The group that was there, and put out onto the field were good enough to get through to the next round.”
On whether Steve Smith should have started in the World Cup team
“His BBL form was excellent.
“We ended up calling him in over there and we see him as an opener.
“And when those opening slots are closed up, we don't want to then start to have that conversation about him in the middle order.
“Could he do it? Of course he could.
“But we feel as though we've got some players there that are better suited, and it's always subjective when it comes to selection and especially dealing with the public around that.”
On the demanding schedule of the cricket calendar
“It's demanding, it's probably been put in everyone's focus because of the way that it's been communicated.
“It's going to be incredibly challenging but in 2023 we did a very similar thing.
“It was 19 Tests across that journey, and away Ashes into a 50 over World Cup, which was in India then.
“Our biggest challenge is that we're 4 years older on the back of 2023.
“But it's not unlike any other sport where players are playing older and that experience is valued, but how we keep them fit across that journey is what we're planning out.
“The other day we had a meeting and we're talking about what the preparation looks like for the Ashes in 2027."
Listen to the full chat below
