Beau Webster is the latest in a long line of Aussies and Australia-born players who will wear the Bear & Ragged staff.
The hard-hitting allrounder – who’s just made his Test debut for the Baggy Greens against India – will hook-up with Bears teammates at the start of May for a three-month stay.
The 31-year-old is enlisted on a roll call of players from Down Under, dating back more than 100 years, who’ve made Edgbaston their home.
That list stretches back to 1919 and the first Aussie Bear Ernest “Mick” Waddy.
Waddy started his playing career with New South Wales before moving to England in 1915 to teach at Rugby School.
When first-class cricket resumed in 1919 after the World War I, Waddy played for Warwickshire in the school holidays! The highlight of his Bears career was an unbeaten century in 1921 against Middlesex at Lord’s.
Glenn Maxwell was the most recent Aussie recruit when he signed to play in the 2023 Vitality Blast.
He started in style, hitting 47 in 27 balls on debut at Leicestershire but that was to be his T20 best for the Bears as he went on to average 17.71 in 14 Blast games.
He arguably had more impact with the ball, taking 10 wickets, and even made a rare County Championship outing, cracking 81 in his cameo appearance at Kent.
Spinning allrounder Brad Hogg (pic below) was part of Warwickshire’s 2004 County Championship winning side. He scored 706 runs (70.60 ave) in 12 First Class outings, claiming 18 wickets. He also registered 467 List A runs at an average of 38.91.
And Australian ODI specialist Tom Moody enjoyed a stunning 1990 campaign with Warwickshire having signed as the Club’s overseas player.
He made 1,163 runs at an average of almost 90, including seven centuries in nine First Class games, as the Club finished fifth in the County Championship.
Ashton Agar signed for the Bears T20 Blast in 2019 but played only four games (31.66 ave) before an ankle injury ruled him out for the rest of the campaign.
Teammate and fellow spinning allrounder Chris Green was recruited as a replacement for the remainder of the tournament, taking five wickets, and was due to captain the Bears in 2020 before Coronavirus struck.
Other Aussie Bears include Nathan McAndrew (2022), Matthew Wade (2016) and bowler Ryan Sidebottom (2017-22) who took 59 wickets in 23 First Class games for Warwickshire.
Delving further back into Warwickshire history, Australian fast bowler Keith Dollery took 215 wickets in six summers with Warwickshire (1951-56).
His stand out seasons came in 1953 and 54 when he took 74 and 72 wickets, respectively before receiving his county cap.
Bears legendary wicketkeeper Tim Ambrose is a notable Australia-born cricketer who went on to play for England and Warwickshire.
Ambrose won four trophies with Warwickshire; the County Championship in 2012, the T20 Blast in 2014 and two Lord’s triumphs, the CB40 in 2010 and the One-Day Cup in 2015.
He snared more than 800 victims for Warwickshire behind the stumps, bettered only by Geoff Humpage, in 411 appearances across all formats. He also amassed 12,458 runs during his 14 years at Edgbaston.
Watch Beau Webster in action for Bears next season with our range of red and white ball Membership packages, with Early Bird prices available before 1 February.
2025 Membership: Early Bird ends this month!
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 Early Bird Memberships available before 1 February, including 1882 Full Club (all domestic cricket), our new B5 White Ball (T20, 50-Over and The Hundred) and Junior Bears (U16s).
