New Delhi [India], May 5 (ANI): Australian all-rounder Beau Webster bolstered his chances of earning a spot in next month’s ICC World Test Championship Final with a standout performance on debut for his English county side, Warwickshire, as per the official website of the ICC.
Webster was one of only two players, alongside No.1 ranked Test batter Joe Root, who surpassed 50 in a low-scoring affair at Headingley, with the 31-year-old amassing a quickfire innings of 85 as Warwickshire registered an impressive five-wicket triumph over Yorkshire.
The Australian hit 13 fours and one massive six during his 86-delivery knock, even playing an audacious scoop shot late in his innings once Yorkshire wicket-keeper and England veteran Jonny Bairstow moved up to the stumps.
It helped Warwickshire gain a vital lead on the first innings and caught the eye of teammate Ed Barnard as the side went on to clinch a memorable victory.
“To get to that first-innings lead was really important. It was touch and go, but Beau played brilliantly on a track like that,” Barnard said, as quoted from the official website of ICC.
The innings will have done no harm to Webster’s push to hold on to his place in Australia’s XI for the one-off World Test Championship Final against South Africa, with the versatile all-rounder having impressed at Test level since winning a debut against India at the start of the year.
Webster managed contributions of 57 and 39* with the bat as Australia clinched the Border-Gavaskar Trophy and their spot in the World Test Championship Final with a victory over India in Sydney in January and further pushed his claims during two Tests against Sri Lanka on the sub-continent.
While Australia have the option of recalling Cameron Green for the clash with the Proteas, the advantage Webster has over his fellow all-rounder is that he can contribute with his more than handy medium pace and off-spin.
Webster has three wickets from a trio of Test appearances and could provide Australia with another bowling option for the World Test Championship Final given Green is unable to bowl and can only play as a batter as he continues to recover from back surgery.
Green did score a century for Gloucester against Kent on his County debut in England last month, but has since failed with a pair of single-figure scores against Leicestershire in Bristol.
While Webster is signed to feature for Warwickshire until the end of July, it is almost certain the Australian will be included in the squad for the World Test Championship Final and the Aussies’ ensuing Test series against the West Indies in the Caribbean.
He will get another chance to shine at County level, with Warwickshire hosting Surrey in a four-day contest in Birmingham from May 9. (ANI)
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