Australia set to hand Beau Webster maiden Test call-up amid Marsh fitness concerns

Australia are reportedly all set to hand a maiden Test call-up to all-rounder Beau Webster, with the 30-year-old likely to be included in the hosts’ squad for the second Border-Gavaskar Trophy Test in Adelaide following concerns surrounding Mitchell Marsh’s fitness.

Thanks to the injury to Cameron Green, Marsh’s bowling workload drastically increased in the first Test against India in Perth, where he bowled a total of 17 overs, having only bowled a total of 9 overs in all red-ball games he’d played before that since March. 

Following the game, skipper Pat Cummins revealed that the all-rounder had pulled up a bit sore due to the sudden increase in workload.

“He was a little bit sore towards the end of this Test match, so the next ten days he has a chance to freshen up and try to get it right. We’ll see how he goes,” Cummins had said.

Now, according to News Corp, Webster is set to be added to the squad as a backup and will make his Test debut if Marsh fails to recover in time for the Adelaide Test.

A 30-year-old seam-bowling all-rounder who plays for Tasmania, Webster has been the standout performer in the Sheffield Shield since the start of the last season, having smashed 1241 runs at an average of 56.41 and having taken 36 wickets at an average of 31.8 with the ball. He was named the Shield Player of the Season last season, and he’s begun this season in fine fashion, having smashed 303 runs at an average of 50.5 

Webster featured in the unofficial Test series against India A and saw Australia A home in the fourth innings in both games, posting scores of 61* & 46* across the second innings of the respective contests. Earlier this week, he starred in Tasmania’s victory over New South Wales in Sydney, scoring 61 & 49 with the bat while taking 5/106 with the ball. 

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