Why Australia could be forced into an unexpected change for Adelaide Test

Australia’s selectors will add rangy Tasmanian all-rounder Beau Webster as cover for Mitchell Marsh for the Adelaide Test if the game-breaking West Australian is unable to bowl the overs required of him.

Marsh pulled up sorer than expected in Perth, one of many consequences of Australia being bowled out so cheaply and quickly in their first innings, thanks to the genius of Jasprit Bumrah.

Beau Webster is set to be called into an expanded Australian squad as cover.Credit: Getty Images

Australia are expected to name an expanded squad on Thursday for the Adelaide pink-ball Test.

An industry figure with knowledge of the squad’s make-up told this masthead on Wednesday night that Webster will be in that squad.

Mitchell Marsh pulled up sorer than expected from the Test at Optus Stadium.Credit: AP

According to a member of the Tasmanian set-up, speaking on the condition of anonymity, Webster received a phone call from chief selector George Bailey while in the SCG change rooms after his side’s victory over NSW.

Webster impressed the national selectors during the Australia A series and looked the most composed batter, other than Perth Test debutant Nathan McSweeney.

He is also an extremely versatile bowler, offering quality medium-fast bowling with plenty of height, and can also dabble in off-spin in the fashion of Colin Miller – a key role player for Australia during a dominant era between 1998 and 2001.

West Australian all-rounder Aaron Hardie would have been in the mix, but is carrying an injury niggle, which prevented him from playing in his state’s recent Sheffield Shield game against South Australia.

The Australians will arrive in Adelaide on Monday ahead of an extra twilight training session where the likes of Marnus Labuschagne will get the chance to be reacquainted with the pink ball.

“Yeah, he’s a special player at the moment,” Tasmania’s Jordan Silk said of his state teammate Webster.

“Any time I feel like we’re in trouble, I feel like I can throw him the ball and he just seems to be able to create something, or any time we’re in similar trouble with the bat then he’s able to dig us out of it. He showed his class this game.

“I know there’s a bit of talk probably around him potentially as a back-up all-rounder, and I’m very supportive of that move if they are to go that way because I think he’s shown in the last 18 to 24 months that he’s one of the best Sheffield Shield players currently.”

Silk, who has seen Webster up close over the past two years, where he has vied with the likes of Cameron Bancroft for the best record among domestic players, spoke warmly of his ability.

“He’s basically playing as our third seamer and top-six batter which is a pretty good luxury to have in our side,” Silk said.

“He’d probably say it was one of the best career moves of all-time to give up his dirty offies and go to seam bowling because it’s now looking like it could open many more doors for him.

“I think he’s gained the respect of the competition with those seamers, and that probably took maybe a year or two for people to really see that.”

Marsh has carried an ankle problem for the past few years and has had surgery for the issue, but he struggled in the face of the quick turnaround from first to second innings in Perth.

“Has he pulled up OK? We’ll wait and see,” head coach Andrew McDonald told reporters following Australia’s Perth loss.

“We knew that Mitch [Marsh] was slightly underdone coming in, but I thought the performance in the first innings was satisfactory.”

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