Tasmanian Tigers coach believes Beau Webster right in the mix for higher honours after strong form

Tasmanian Tigers coach Jeff Vaughan believes his star all-rounder should be in the mix for higher honours after declaring him the competition’s ‘most in form’ player.

Tasmanian Tigers coach Jeff Vaughan believes star all-rounder Beau Webster should be considered for Australia A duties following a strong start to the domestic season (Photo by Steve Bell/Getty Images)

Tasmanian Tigers coach Jeff Vaughan believes star all-rounder Beau Webster’s current form is worthy enough of seeing the talented tall be selected for Australia A duties in the hopes of making a national debut.

The 29 year-old, who was named in the Prime Ministers XI squad on Thursday for December’s game against Pakistan, is arguably Australian cricket’s most in-form domestic player.

Fresh off a 103-run knock against New South Wales, Webster now sits second on the Sheffield Shield runs table this season.

Beau Webster’s start to the season has been an outstanding one from the veteran Tiger. (Photo by Steve Bell/Getty Images)

Only behind Western Australia’s Cameron Bancroft (505), Webster has hit 487 runs in the red-ball format at an average of 97.4 from five games (69.5 across seven innings) while he has also taken seven wickets.

That form has also been replicated in the one-day competition with 247 runs at an average of 49.4 from five games with five wickets.

Speaking at a press conference on Thursday, Vaughan was confident Webster’s current form was good enough to see him press his case for a call-up for higher honours.

“Beau has been our most consistent and dominant player so far this season and I’m really pleased for him in taking on the number six role for us,” Vaughan said.

“I think it’s very fair to state that he is the most in form player in the competition at the moment. Not just across red ball but across white ball as well. He is making runs every time he walks out to bat and is bowling really important overs for us, breaking partnerships, and is probably in the top two or three slips fielders in the country.

“In cricketing terms, he is a young cricketer who has many years ahead of him, and some of our best Australian players have started their journey at 30 years of age as well. I’d be very shocked if there weren’t some Australia A opportunities for him moving forward.

“Opportunities can happen very quickly with injuries or illness or good form, and Beau is doing everything he can.”

Tasmanian Tigers coach Jeff Vaughan currently has side undefeated in the four-day format with three wins and two draws. (Photo by Simon Sturzaker/Getty Images)

It’s been some kind of start to the four-day season for the Tigers who currently sit atop the Shield ladder, undefeated, with three wins and two draws, ahead of a second consecutive clash next week against NSW before the BBL break.

While many may have written off the Tigers given the experience that departed the line-up at the conclusion of last season, Vaughan said he always knew they had the young talent ready and waiting to replace them.

“We were very pleased with our list and we knew we had some exciting young talent there,” he said.

“Last year we had that talent sitting on the bench that didn’t have the opportunity to grow and develop so we always knew we had it here.

“They are getting a little bit of success early in their journey. There will be some rocky roads in the coming months and years but it is pleasing for them to have some individual success (early). What allows them to have that is the collective that we are creating at the moment.”