A career-best performance from Tasmanian all-rounder Beau Webster wasn’t enough to prevent Western Australia from snatching a tense one-wicket victory in Tuesday evening’s One-Day Cup match at the WACA.
The hosts reeled in the 319-run target with eight balls to spare to ruin Tasmania’s unbeaten streak in the 50-over competition, having won their previous five matches. It was Western Australia’s highest successful run chase in one-day domestic history, bettering the previous record of 301 achieved against Queensland at the same venue in 2024.
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Earlier, the Tigers were bowled out for 318 after West Australian captain Ashton Turner won the toss and chose to field first, a decision that quickly paid dividends as the visitors collapsed to 3-21 in the eighth over, with openers Mitchell Owen and Caleb Jewell both dismissed by seamer Bryce Jackson for a golden duck.
However, Webster and Tim Ward each cracked hundreds during a 237-run partnership, the highest fourth-wicket stand in the competition’s history, to turn the tides and put Tasmania in a commanding position. Webster’s 122-ball 138, his second List A hundred, featured 13 boundaries and four sixes, later named player of the match, while Ward’s career-best 112 from 114 balls was his second triple-figure score in nine white-ball appearances for the Tigers.
Ward’s departure sparked a frantic collapse of 6-25 during the death overs, with Jackson (4-55) and fellow quick Brody Couch (3-50) ripping through Tasmania’s lower order.
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In response, Western Australia got off to a flying start after opener Joel Curtis (75 from 57 balls) and all-rounder Aaron Hardie (a career-high 64 from 70 balls) formed a 120-run partnership for the second wicket.
A 28-ball 47 from Turner and a brief cameo from teenager Will Malajczuk — who last month scored the fastest century in Under-19 World Cup history — put Western Australia within touching distance of the target before a late scare as two wickets fell with scores level, giving Tasmania a sniff at an unlikely tie.
But young gun Teague Wyllie, playing just his second List A match, held his nerve to hit the winning runs through square and finish unbeaten on 42, sealing a victory that keeps Western Australia’s finals chances alive.
Tasmania has already secured hosting rights for the final, with the Tigers poised to face either New South Wales, Queensland or Western Australia in the tournament decider, pending results in the last round. South Australia also has a mathematical chance of qualifying for the final, although the reigning champions would require a bonus-point victory in their upcoming clash against the Bulls.
Meanwhile, Webster did not bowl during the run chase, with the Test all-rounder dealing with a suspected achilles issue.
Western Australia will next host Victoria at the same venue on Saturday, February 21.
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