Webster ready to embrace challenge from Green in battle for Ashes all-rounder slot

Hobart, Aug 18 (IANS) Australia’s seam-bowling all-rounder Beau Webster has admitted Cameron Green’s return bowling duties could put his Test spot under pressure, which means he will have to restate his claims in the Sheffield Shield ahead of Australia’s Ashes defence later this year.

Webster has impressed across his first seven Tests since debuting in January, earning his chance through dominant domestic season form. Green returned from back surgery for the World Test Championship final in June as a batter only, before featuring at number three in the subsequent series against the West Indies.

His expected resumption of bowling this summer heightens the pressure on Webster’s position in the playing eleven. "When you're at the top level, you're fighting to hang on to your spot with all the wonderful cricketers around the country, especially a guy like Cameron Green."

"He's obviously going to be back bowling this summer, which is going to put a bit more pressure on my spot at number six as the allrounder. But I welcome it. I feel like I've been in this position before a lot in my career where I've got to score runs to either go to the next level or stay in a team. So it's certainly not unfamiliar."

"I'm looking forward to once again showing what I can do at Shield level, and hopefully be lining up in that first Ashes Test in Perth. It's going to be a massive summer, and I'm sure the team's going change a little bit throughout those five Tests, and I'm just going to do everything I can to make sure I'm there for all five," Webster was quoted as saying by cricket.com.au on Monday.

Webster, who signed a three-year BBL deal with Hobart Hurricanes, admitted he doesn’t know what way selectors would go. "We don't know how the selectors are thinking. A lot of the commentators have their own opinion. At the end of the day, it's the three selectors that make the decision on the squad and the first XI, alongside Patty (Cummins, the Test captain)."

Webster further said he’s pleased with how his Test career has shaped so far, but conceded not having a century despite passing fifty on four occasions has left the door slightly open. "I've played in some tricky conditions. The West Indies was particularly hard for the batters, Lord's in the World Test Championship final was tricky conditions too when the lights were on and the clouds came over there."

"So I feel like I've scored some tough runs, I suppose, but at the same time, there's no hundred next to my name, I would have loved to go on with one of those (starts). I felt like I was batting as good as I have done in a number of those innings. I feel like I'm batting really well. And I feel like I've got all the tools to succeed this summer in the Ashes with what England are going to potentially bring."

--IANS

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