As he has done in the Test arena since being awarded his baggy green, Australia’s incumbent long-form No. 6 Beau Webster is prepared to fight tooth and nail to hold onto his place in Pat Cummins’ side for the upcoming Ashes series.
The Tasmanian all-rounder has earned himself a reputation as a man for a crisis in the seven Tests he has played since his debut against India at the SCG.
Webster boasts four half-centuries to his name at Test level, three of which have come in foreign conditions, but the return of Cameron Green to the bowling crease this summer following back surgery may spell bad news for the 31-year-old’s who average 34.63 with the bat in Australian whites.
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“When you’re at the top level, you’re fighting to hang on to your spot,” Webster told reporters in Hobart on Monday.
“With all the wonderful cricketers around the country, and especially a guy like Cameron Green, he batted at the top of the order [in the West Indies]and didn’t bowl. He’s obviously going to be back bowling this summer, which is going to put a bit more pressure on my spot at No. 6 as the all-rounder. But I welcome it.
“I feel like I’ve been in this position before a lot in my career, where I’ve got to score runs to either go to the next level or stay on the team. It’s certainly not unfamiliar.
“I’m looking forward to once again showing what I can do at [Sheffield] Shield level, and hopefully, be lining up in that first Ashes Test in Perth.
“It’s going to be a massive summer. I’m sure the team’s going to change a little bit throughout those five Tests.
“I’m just going to do everything I can to make sure I’m there for all five.”
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Webster scored a half-century in the first innings in Sydney before hitting the winning runs to clinch the Border Gavaskar Trophy as part of his unbeaten 39, in what could have been a nervy chase for the Australians.
He followed that up with scores of 23 and 31 in his two hits in Sri Lanka after Steve Smith, Usman Khawaja, Alex Carey and Josh Inglis piled on hundreds, but the World Test Championship final at Lords in June was the scene of his highest Test score to date.
Webster produced a counter-punching 72 on day one against a rampaging South African bowling attack.
He then added two more half-centuries to his resume in the West Indies, 63 in the second innings of the first Test in Barbados after Australia trailed following the first innings, and 60 in the first innings in Grenada after walking to the crease at 4/93.
Webster’s exploits have not been confined just to his batting, however.
Since replacing Mitchell Marsh, he has been filling the all-rounder’s position, capturing eight wickets at 23.25 with his handy combination of right-arm medium pace or off spin depending on the conditions.
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His catching in the slip cordon, as well as the outfield, has also been a welcome addition to the team, taking 12 catches in his seven Tests so far.
But despite the positive contributions, Fox Cricket’s Brendon Julian is among the experts who have called for the Australian selectors to slide Green back to No.6 to combat the added workload of bowling, and reinstate Marnus Labuschagne at No.3 at the expense of an unlucky Webster.
The man himself hopes his gutsy efforts have stuck in the minds of national selectors George Bailey, Tony Dodemaide and Andrew McDonald, who is also Australian coach.
“I feel like I’ve scored some tough runs,” Webster said.
“At the same time, there’s no hundred next to my name, which I would have loved to go on with one of those [half-centuries]. I felt like I was batting as good as I have done in a number of those innings.
“I feel like I’ve got all the tools to succeed this summer in the Ashes with what England are going to potentially bring.”
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Despite not yet having a Test century to his name, Webster did post triple figures for division one county side Warwickshire last month.
He finished exactly 100 not out as the Edgbaston-based county motored down 393 in the fourth innings at home against Worcestershire.
It was his 13th first class ton, and Webster is set to have multiple opportunities to add to that tally for Tasmania early in the Sheffield Shield season.
There are four rounds of Shield matches before the opening Test in Perth, with the squad likely to be named after the third round.
In those games, Webster may face a head-to-head bat-off with Labuschagne at the Gabba, but a showdown with Green in Hobart is unlikely as the incumbent Test No.3 will almost certainly be on international white-ball duties.
Webster will then have to combat Scott Boland and the Victorian attack at the Junction Oval before a potential final tune-up against reigning champions South Australia in Hobart.
“It’s going to be an intriguing first couple of rounds with potentially all the big boys playing a few of the Shield games, too,” Webster said.
“There’s going to be some really strong Shield teams out there, which only promotes better cricket. So it’s going to be exciting for our boys to line up against a number of Test cricketers in the first couple of rounds as well.
“It’s always exciting when the team’s not quite settled, and there’s a few opportunities for people to put their hand up and try and get a spot in that first squad.”