Beau is not afraid of Test challenges

IMAGINE being Beau Webster. You had just helped Tasmania beat New South Wales at the Sydney Cricket Ground in the Sheffield Shield game around late November. A 61 and 49 with the bat while taking five wickets across two innings. You get called up as cover for Mitchell Marsh ahead of the pink ball Test against India.

- GOMESH S

Of course, Marsh retains his place in a day-night Test considering the minimal bowling workload it entails – for context, the veteran bowled just four overs. You are relieved and asked to join the Big Bash League side – Melbourne Stars. You travel from Perth to Melbourne to Adelaide and play three games in five days before you are again asked to join the national squad ahead of the Boxing Day Test. Once again, as a cover for the first XI. This has been the itinerary of a 31-year-old for the last few weeks.

Webster, however, is not one bit bothered. For starters, he knows where he stands in the pecking order and what is expected of him. The counter-attacking all-rounder who switched to bowling offies, Webster took up pace bowling only during the 2020-21 preseason. The lanky Tasmanian had since been at the centre of his team’s success. In 2023-24, Webster was the leading run-scorer with 938 runs and also took 30 wickets, helping Tasmania reach the final where they lost to Western Australia.