Webster's rare triple treat has Tassie off to a flyer

Without both their leading wicket-takers of last summer, as well as missing two of their top five runs scorers from 2022-23, Tasmania entered their Marsh Sheffield Shield opener against South Australia needing new heroes to emerge with ball and bat.

As events transpired, Beau Webster starred in both those disciplines and plucked four catches for good measure to round out one of the great all-round performances in Tasmania's seven-wicket triumph completed inside three days.

Webster became the first Tasmania men's player to combine a half-century with four wickets and as many catches in a Shield match, and the first to complete that trifecta since former Australia allrounder Cameron White did so for Victoria against Queensland 20 summers ago.

Given others to have claimed the rare treble include the game's greatest-ever allrounder Garfield Sobers (when playing for SA in 1963-64) and Test stars Clarrie Grimmett, Warwick Armstrong and George Giffen, Webster's achievement might historically have seen him touted for Australia honours.

But such is the depth of current seam-bowling allrounders, with Western Australia trio Mitchell Marsh, Cameron Green and Aaron Hardie leading a cohort that also includes Michael Neser and Will Sutherland, the towering 29-year-old accepts his place further back in the queue.

Where Webster offers a point of difference, however, is – in addition to batting prowess that fuses sturdy defence with pure power, and catching capabilities the equal of any fielder in the nation – his unique bowling skills set that combines handy seamers with nagging off-spin.

It was during the COVID-19 lockdown that Webster made the transition from specialist spinner to pace bowler, but he has persisted with his original craft most notably during his recent off-season stint playing with UK League club Upminster as well as Essex in the county one-day competition.

"I actually rolled quite a few out in England, and I've thought there might be a time on some flat and dusty wickets back here when the offies might come in handy," Webster told cricket.com.au in the wake of Tasmania's Shield win.

"But if I keep picking up four wickets in an innings, I'll probably stick to the seamers.

"This (Karen Rolton Oval surface) was much more of a seamer-friendly wicket with the new drop-in pitch, which was fantastic compared to what we've played on here in seasons gone past.

"So if I'm needed to bowl offies for the team I will, but if Jarrod (Freeman, Tasmania's specialist spinner) is bowling really nicely and they need some seamers, I'll do whatever I can to help us get a win."

Webster's preparedness to deploy whatever skills set best suits Tasmania's specific needs also reflects the depth of bowling they possess even though they've lost their two most potent quicks from last season – Jackson Bird (returned to New South Wales) and Peter Siddle (likewise to Victoria).

Furthermore, the bowlers who did not take the field against South Australia this week for reasons of fitness or selection calls – Riley Meredith, Nathan Ellis, Sam Rainbird, Billy Stanlake, Tom Rogers, Iain Carlisle and spinner Paddy Dooley – suggest depth and diversity the equal of any state attack.

Perhaps the most meritorious aspect of Tasmania's clinical victory in Adelaide – the first time since 2018-19 they've begun their Shield campaign with a win – was the manner in which a comparatively inexperienced bowling unit embraced their task.

Led by Gabe Bell (playing just his second Shield match in two years) with 24-year-old Lawrence Neil-Smith as his new-ball partner, Tasmania also relied on allrounders Webster, Brad Hope and debutant Mitch Owen to claim 20 SA wickets which they achieved in just over 108 overs.

Webster led the demolition of the Redbacks' lower order on what proved to be the final day, though his unchanged spell of 10.4 overs either side of lunch (in which he snared 4-31) was more a product of prevailing conditions than a shift to the role of specialist quick.

"There was a bit of a breeze blowing that way and I started quite well with a bit of seam movement," he said.

"Then, with rain delays and lunch I ended up bowling 10 overs on the trot, although with some breaks in there it wasn't too hard.

"We had extreme experience with Siddle and Bird in our bowling unit, but now they've gone it does fall a lot more on to guys like Rainbird and myself I suppose.

"I haven't been bowling in that (seamer's) role for very long, but as a leader of the group I feel like I've got a lot to offer in that department.

"We've had a really good pre-season, and a lot of guys who have been waiting in the wings when you've got players like Siddle and Bird playing most games and filling two of the fast-bowling spots, it was pleasing to see Lawrence (Neil-Smith) and Gabe (Bell) come through and take some wickets."

While Tasmania's bowling effort was the key to their first-up win, the batting contributions of player-of-the-match Charlie Wakim (110 and 25), opener Caleb Jewell (87) and veteran Matthew Wade (43) were vital given the absence through injury of Tim Ward and Jake Doran, as well as Ben McDermott who has returned to Queensland.

It is unclear which, if any, of the injured quicks might be available for Tasmania's next Shield challenge against titleholders and bowling benchmark Western Australia on their home patch at the WACA Ground starting October 15.

But Webster believes that despite the loss of Test-capped duo Bird and Siddle who captured 55 Shield wickets between them last summer, the revamped Tasmania bowling group can match it with any outfit in the competition.

"It's a bit of an odd case I guess, where we've got a lot of good bowlers and a few unavailable at the moment with injuries and Aussie commitments and some management as well," he said.

"But I think when we get our best bowlers on the track, we're going to be a formidable bowling unit.

"With Riley Meredith, Billy Stanlake and Nathan Ellis across red and white-ball formats, we've got quite a potent attack.

"And thrown in our spinners with Jarrod (Freeman) getting his games up and becoming more and more of a first-class bowler … and Paddy Dooley coming down for the one-day stuff, we're excited about that.

"Once we're fully fit and firing, I think most teams will be fearing some of our attacks."