‘Disappointed’: Aussie hero has ‘full faith’ in Test selectors despite cruel Ashes snub

Beau Webster has confessed he was “disappointed” to miss selection for the first four Tests of this summer’s Ashes campaign, but the Australian all-rounder still has “full faith” in the national selectors moving forward.

Despite making an impressive start to his Test career, including a match-winning performance on debut during last year’s Border-Gavaskar Trophy finale and a gritty half-century in the World Test Championship final, Webster was left out of Australia’s starting XI for November’s Ashes opener in Perth, with fellow all-rounder Cameron Green taking his spot at No. 6.

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The 32-year-old was also sidelined for the following two Tests in Brisbane and Adelaide, with national selectors instead calling up reserve wicketkeeper Josh Inglis, who posted scores of 23, 32 and 10 batting at No. 7.

However, Webster has shown the Australians what they were missing during the New Year’s Ashes Test at the SCG, scoring an unbeaten 71 and taking three wickets with his part-time offies to help put the hosts in a commanding position at stumps on day four. He currently boasts a batting average of 41.09 and a bowling average of 23.36.

Speaking to reporters on Wednesday morning, Webster admitted he was unhappy with his omission from earlier in the series, but denied that he felt as though he had a point to prove in Sydney.

“It’s a strong Australian side, no doubt,” he said.

“We’ve got some excellent cricketers in this country and especially in that dressing room.

“Disappointed not to play, no doubt, as everyone is outside of the XI.

“I was just trying to stay ready, and if I got a chance in any of the Tests, I was ready to go.

“It certainly wasn’t toys out of the cot and sooking around. It was be ready for when the chance came.

“And pretty much like last year, it’s come in the last Test, and I’ve managed to do alright.”

During his game-changing spell of 3-51, Webster removed the dangerous Harry Brook for 42 with a delivery that thudded into his pads, with wicketkeeper Alex Carey convincing interim captain Steve Smith to call for a review. The Tasmanian looked shocked when three red lights appeared on the big screen, with the dismissal ending a 102-run partnership between Brook and centurion Jacob Bethell.

“I certainly wasn’t convinced,” Webster said.

“I was head down, chasing the ball, a bit of an afterthought to appeal.

“(Carey) was the one that said, ‘Mate, he’s deep’.

“It spun quite a bit, and I thought it was high, just with the amount of bounce out there. Full credit to Carey to take that one upstairs. Lucky to hit him in line and hit the stumps somehow.”

Two deliveries later, all-rounder Will Jacks fell for a second-ball duck after slogging towards deep mid-wicket, a reckless dismissal that has prompted plenty of backlash.

“Jacks tried to park me,” Webster smiled.

“That’s probably fair, being a part-time off-spinner.”

Elsewhere, Green has struggled as Australia’s first-choice all-rounder this summer, with his Test career in jeopardy after contributing 149 runs at 21.28 and taking four wickets at 70.75. However, the looming retirement of veteran batter Usman Khawaja could create an additional vacancy in Australia’s middle order, opening the door for Green and Webster to slot in the same starting XI.

“No doubt, coming into the summer, I thought I was as good as anyone in that squad to be in the 11 in Perth,” Webster continued.

“The selectors picked the team they thought was going to win the Test, and we did, and full credit to them. They’ve made some calls over this series that haven’t been too popular, and here we are at 3-1.

“As much as every cricketer in the 15 wants to be in that 11, there’s always a couple of guys that are going to get left out.

“I’ve got full faith in the selectors. Their message is, ‘You haven’t really been dropped. You just can’t be fitted in this 11 at the moment,’ which is a good sign. It’s a strong sign for Australian cricket.

“At the moment, we’ve got a very good core group of players. And you know, I’m competing against some pretty good cricketers in the 11.”

England was 8-302 at stumps, leading by 119 runs, with Bethell (142*) and Matthew Potts (0*) unbeaten overnight. The fifth and final Ashes Test between Australia and England resumes on Thursday at 10am AEDT.