In Australian all-rounder Beau Webster, Warwickshire have signed a player at the peak of his powers.
Webster became Australia’s 469th Test cricketer when making a stunning debut against India in the 5th Test earlier this month.
It marked the culmination of a decade-long journey to win international honours – and he seized the opportunity emphatically.
The 31-year-old – drafted into the side as replacement for Mitchell Marsh who’d struggled for runs in the series – top scored in the Baggy Greens’ first innings with 57 (105 balls).
And he followed that up with an unbeaten 39 in the second as he hit the winning runs to help Australia regain the Border-Gavaskar trophy for the first time in 10 years.
Tasmanian-born Webster says he hopes to “stay in this team for as long as I can”.
After an eye-catching Test debut, it’ll be hard to displace him for the upcoming tour of Sri Lanka before Australia open their ICC Champions League challenge against England on 22 February.
The good news for Warwickshire fans is that – with the exception of a one-off match against South Africa for the World Test Championship final (11-15 June) – Australia’s international schedule is currently clear during the English cricket season.
So Bears supporters will really get to know Beau!
First Class cricket pedigree
Right-hander Webster averages 38.24 in First Class cricket having amassed 5,293 runs in 94 matches, while he’s taken a total of 149 wickets.
He made his debut for Australian red ball state Tasmania in February 2014 at the age of 20, playing three games in the latter part of the season.
Two years later he made centuries in back-to-back Sheffield Shield matches batting at three. It propelled him into the Australia A side.
But it’s since turning 30 that 6ft 6in Webster has come of age with the bat.
He won the Sheffield Shield Player of the Tournament after a stunning 2023-24 campaign that saw him finish top scorer with 938 runs at an average of 58.62 and take 30 wickets at an average of 29.30.
It will go down as one of the great Sheffield Shield seasons: only Garfield Sobers has exceeded both those figures in the same season.
And he’s started this year’s Aussie red ball season in fine form, opening his account for Tasmania with a century (113, 183 balls) against Victoria and amassing 303 runs (50.50 ave) in the four games he’s played.
Until last year, Webster had been a one-club man in First Class cricket, remaining loyal to his home state of Tasmania.
However, he completed a brief stint with Gloucestershire last summer when he made four County Championship Division Two appearances, scoring 233 runs (58.25 ave) and taking 16 wickets at 21.25 apiece.
It included a home debut to remember when he registered First Class career best figures of 6/100 against Derbyshire before smashing 76 off just 79 balls.
He’d been signed by Gloucestershire primarily for their Vitality Blast campaign in which he scored 237 runs and took six wickets.
His contributions helped them reach Finals Day before his contract expired and he departed for the Canadian T20 league.
And he has considerable white ball experience in Australia having played Big Bash League (BBL) cricket for Hobart Hurricanes, Melbourne Renegades, and Melbourne Stars for who he signed for the 2024-25 season.
Spin to seam success
Webster secured his first Test wicket when dismissing India’s Shubman Gill with his medium-pace bowling.
But it wasn’t until the Covid lockdowns that Webster rediscovered his medium pacers having been a spinning all-rounder for most of his career.
Having watched Tasmania team-mate Jake Doran bag a wicket with his left-arm mediums, Webster decided to revive his pace bowling which had been shelved by back problems when he was younger.
It took a little while for pace bowling to bring dividends, but Webster has no doubt about the role it has played in his rise to the Australia side.
“I don’t think I’d be standing here if I was still wheeling out the offspinners,” Webster said.
“It’s a part of my game I’ve been really proud to develop in the last four years. It’s taken a lot of hard work early doors from being sore at the start and trying to get my body used to bowling a few overs here and there and then bowling lots and lots for Tasmania.”
Watch Beau Webster at Edgbaston this year with one of our great value Membership packages, with Early Bird prices available before 1 February.
2025 Membership
It’s an historic year for the Club in 2025, as Bears Men and Women will compete side-by-side. Bears together.
Join the journey with Memberships available, including 1882 Full Club (all domestic cricket), our new B5 White Ball (T20, 50-Over and The Hundred) and Junior Bears (U16s).
