All-rounder Beau Webster takes long route in Test journey

Beau Webster had every right to think his chances of playing Test cricket were over three years ago.

Set to become the nation’s 469th men’s Test player at the SCG on Friday, Webster will complete a rapid rise when he replaces Mitch Marsh in Australia’s team to face India in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy decider.

The first home-grown Tasmanian to debut since 2014, Webster himself admits he spent the first eight years of his career as an inconsistent state cricketer.

As recently as March 2022, Webster averaged 29.54 in first-class cricket, having moved up and down Tasmania’s order while also bowling part-time off spin.

But since a breakthrough 164no against Queensland in the final round of the 2021-22 Sheffield Shield season, Webster’s career has changed.

Consistency has come, he has averaged 57.1 in first-class cricket and doubled his tally of career centuries and half-centuries.

“For some it probably feels like a bit of an overnight success,” Tasmania’s coach Jeff Vaughan said.

“But it’s really important to remember he has been playing first-class cricket for almost a decade.”

The 31-year-old’s journey to a debut is one of the most unique in Australian cricket this century.

Since 2000, only Bryce McGain has debuted for Australia at an older age in Test cricket without having played a white-ball international in their 20s.

Webster’s decision to take up medium-pace bowling during COVID and make use of his two-metre-frame has also been crucial, given he can back up Australia’s quicks this week against India.

But Pat Cummins made clear on Thursday that Webster had won his Test spot based on his batting, after topping the Shield’s run-scoring charts last summer.

“Once players get to a certain age they have been through all their trials and errors and mistakes from a technical sense,” Vaughan said.

“He’s worked on a hell of a lot over the journey. He has got to understand his own technique, and he knows he is unique. But he has absolute faith in the way he plays.

“Going through all the technical and thoughts, ideas and trials over the journey, he has settled really well technically. It gives him a lot of calmness.”

Webster’s multi-faceted bowling will also likely shape a handy asset for Australia in Sri Lanka next month, while the team’s transition means there could be room for both he and a fit-again Cameron Green in the team for the future.

“He’s still got six or seven good years in front of him to carve out, and a pretty impressive international career with opportunity and support at that level,” Vaughan said.

“I’ve got no doubt he can be successful.

“This isn’t a question of him trying to find his way in first-class cricket, he is genuinely dominating it.

“So we’re not hoping or uncertain. He is absolutely the dominant player at our level and absolutely deserving of an opportunity.”