It is not just Cameron Green’s explosive timing, textbook technique and lively fast bowling that look set to make the exciting all-rounder Australian cricket’s next big thing. Pickle juice shapes as a vital ingredient.
Team medicos poured copious amounts of the sour substance into him during a dramatic finish to Tuesday night’s one-day international win over New Zealand in Cairns, after constant cramping threatened to end his innings and Australia’s charge to victory.
Cameron Green batting during his Player of the Match performance against New Zealand in Cairns on Tuesday night.Credit:Getty Images
“I’m a bit of a serial cramper,” a more freely moving Green said at the team hotel on Wednesday little more than 12 hours after a player-of-the-match 89 not out from 92 balls, which included two extended on-field delays for treatment.
Along with massaged and stretched limbs, there was pickle juice, which is used across elite sports to replenish electrolytes in a similar way to sports drinks.
“It’s actually not great,” said Green, highlighting the old adage that the worse medicine tastes, the better it is for you.
“It’s really high in salt and I think that’s to kind of like trick your muscles that there’s actually a lot of salt when you actually don’t have. Unfortunate it didn’t really work yesterday.”
Alex Carey and Cameron Green shared a match-winning 158-run part against New Zealand.Credit:Getty Images
Doctors contacted by the Herald and The Age said there was no definitive treatment for cramp and limited evidence to support the impact of pickle juice, but that it was high in electrolytes sodium and potassium.
“It’s probably the best option,” one doctor said. “While there is a low level of evidence, it is safe and there is no risk of doping under the strict sports drug regime.”
However, the doctor said acclimatising to changing conditions, such as going from a cool winter in Perth to the warmth of North Queensland, and being well hydrated was more important.
A young sports star growing up in Perth, cramps were always part of Green’s journey.
Aaron Finch’s poor run of form continues.Credit:Getty
“I was really bad in cricket and footy,” said Green, who was also an underage Aussie rules star for Western Australia. “Basically, if I got through the game without cramping it was a good game.”
Despite the dramas of moving like a scarecrow late in a match Australia won by two wickets, Green has declared himself fit for the second game of the three-match series on Thursday.
“Everyone wants to get that first one out of the way,” he said. “It’s an innings that I can look back on and see how I went about it and try and replicate it in the future.”
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