Webster belts timely century as Hope, Tassie go big

Allrounder Beau Webster has sent a timely reminder of his big-hitting capabilities to Australian selectors, belting a century as Tasmania took the lead in their Sheffield Shield match against Victoria.

Webster's feats came as Bradley Hope (111 runs from 174 balls) recorded his second first-class ton, which helped Tasmania (9-527) to a 99-run advantage at the close of play on day three at Junction Oval.

But Webster's ton (113 from 183) came with the greater intrigue as selectors deliberate how best to fill Cameron Green's shoes during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.

Towering allrounder Green is likely to miss the Test summer following back surgery, or at the very least the opening stages of the five-Test series against India.

Australia look set to either bring in a specialist opener, push Steve Smith down the order and rely on their spinners to take on extra work, or call in an allrounder to handle Green's bowling loads.

West Australian Aaron Hardie has long been touted as a Test player of the future but Webster, Sheffield Shield player of the season last summer, is now an in-form option.

Webster came to the crease unbeaten on 30, the Tasmanians trailing their hosts by 227 runs with six wickets in hand before play began on Thursday.

A 149-run partnership with Jordan Silk took Webster part of the way to triple figures, before the Tasmania captain was bowled by Sam Elliott (2-87) for 84.

Webster held firm and brought up a 12th first-class century by hitting Fergus O'Neill to point for a single early in the second session, having spent more than half an hour feeling his way through the nervous nineties.

But O'Neill had his man shortly thereafter, collecting Webster's off stump for the breakthrough wicket on a batter-friendly deck.

The Victorians weren't out of the woods, though, as Hope picked up where his former batting partner left off.

Hope drove Cameron McClure through the covers for four to reach his century during the final session.

Wicketkeeper Sam Harper caught Hope in the fifth-last over of the day when the 25-year-old clipped O'Neill with an outside edge.