Ponting: Why late bloomer Webster can be long term Test star

Former Australia skipper Ricky Ponting believes fellow Tasmanian Beau Webster can be the next late bloomer to be a long term Test player. And he is hopeful the all rounder will be a Hurricane next season.

Beau Webster hits the winning runs on Test debut as Australia win the Border-Gavaskar trophy in Sydney. Photo: Tom Parrish

Ricky Ponting says Beau Webster is capable of becoming the latest late bloomer to blossom into a long term Test star, and gave the biggest indication yet he’s likely to be a Hurricane next season.

Webster 31, made over 5000 first class runs and nearly 150 wickets before he took his first chance in a baggy green with both hands in Sydney.

He made 57 and 39 not out, with both innings coming with Australia in some trouble, and claimed a wicket in the fifth Test win over India which sealed a series victory.

Ponting said the man from Slug has a chance to cement himself in Australia’s side, with a two-Test series in Sri Lanka to begin on Sunday.

He was impressed by Webster’s composure and trust in his game built up through many seasons with Tasmania.

Beau Webster celebrates with the crowd after hitting the winning run in the test match vs India. Picture: Thomas Lisson

Webster has been particularly superb the past two seasons, and his statistics at Shield level eventually proved impossible to ignore.

“He looked at home in his first game in Sydney, with everything he did,” Ponting said.

“It probably panned out perfectly for him to be in the field first, get a couple of catches early on, get into the game with some bowling then get his chance to bat.

“He played beautifully in both innings of that game, it’s fantastic. He’s 31 now and done it the hard way where he’s ground it out for years in Sheffield Shield cricket and finally put all the numbers on the board.

Ponting said his performance was proof the Shield level remains a great breeding ground for Test players.

“It goes to show our Shield cricket grounding is a pretty good one. If someone can come in like that and look at home against a pretty good team they way Beau did, it’s a good sign for our domestic competition but also for Tasmanian cricket.”

Ponting said his defensive set up allowed Webster to step up to the next level against arguably the world’s best pace bowler Jasprit Bumrah.

“He just trusted himself and has been there many times before. He spoke about it after the game, about batting at Bellerive the last few years and coming in in situations like that for Tasmania.

Beau Webster. (Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)

“I know it’s different facing Bumrah to some of the Shield bowlers, but he just trusted himself.

“That’s the biggest thing making your way in international cricket, you’ve got to trust what got you there, and your defensive game more than anything.

“If you can trust your defence and technique you can always look at home. But if you can’t trust yourself, that’s when you look a bit jittery and all over the place.

“At 31 years of age and playing a lot of Shield cricket, he stuck to his guns really well.”

Ponting played with a number of players who waited years for a Test debut, before establishing themselves as greats.

He is confident Webster has plenty of cricket left in him at the elite level.

“Mike Hussey is one (to debut late), Matty Hayden another, I think Mark Waugh made something like 20,000 first class runs before he played Tests for Australia,” Ponting said. “Mike Hussey is probably the most famous one, he came in during his early thirties and had a great career. Hopefully it’s the same for Beau.

Mitchell Starc, Scott Boland, Nathan Lyon, Pat Cummins and Beau Webster after winning the fifth Test over India in Sydney. (Photo by Darrian Traynor/Getty Images)

“With our Test team and the age it is, we also have to start having a look at the younger guys and taking a punt on those, like (fellow Sri Lanka tourists Sam Konstas and Cooper Connolly. “ We’re going to need to regenerate very soon, and pretty quickly. It’s not always the 31 year olds coming in, but it’s nice to know they’re in the Shield competition and good enough when they get the chance.”

Ponting is the Hurricanes’ head of strategy and reiterated coach Jeff Vaughan’s desire to lure Webster back to the team after playing for both Melbourne franchises since 2017-18.

“I’ve caught up with him a few times since (his Test debut) and he might be wearing the purple next year as well, which is pretty exciting,” Ponting said.

“I think he wants to do it, that’s what we’re trying to build with the Hurricanes. We want our players to come back and play in Tasmania.

“He’s probably had seven or eight years away with the Renegades and Stars. It’d be nice if it happens that he comes back to the Canes.”

Originally published as Ponting: Why late bloomer Webster can be long term Test star