By Tom Decent and Sam Djodan
Australia’s newest debutant, Beau Webster, says he wants to play as much Test cricket as possible after hitting the winning runs against India at the SCG and a memorable night celebrating a 3-1 series victory.
The Australian team celebrated their series victory in style on Sunday evening in Sydney, with a number choosing the Golden Sheaf in Double Bay as their drinking venue well into the night.
Travis Head posted a photo on his Instagram story, which has since been deleted, of him dipping his spinning finger in a pint of beer next to a handful of cheeseburgers. It was his first drink in months after he swore off alcohol in September to be in the best possible shape for the summer.
Young gun Sam Konstas was spotted walking across the SCG outfield just before 9pm in his full playing kit with beer in hand.
Friends and family joined players in the SCG dressing rooms to enjoy the six-wicket win, which ensured Australia qualified for another World Test Championship final.
Webster, who made 96 runs across both innings and took a wicket, spoke to television reporters on Monday morning ahead of a flight back to Hobart later in the day with his proud parents.
Australian debutant Beau Webster. Credit: Getty Images
“It’s sunk in a little bit overnight. The celebrations were good,” Webster said. “We had a few beers in the SCG members bar. It was a great, great week and capped off with a brilliant night.
“Trav’s always good [for a night out]. Me and him were going relatively hard on the beers. I’m a little bit rough this morning, as I think a few of the boys are. It was a really good night sitting in your whites talking with the lads all things life. It was really special.”
Webster’s powerful boundary past mid-off to seal the win will be replayed for years to come.
“I certainly wasn’t going to give Heady the chance [to hit the winning runs],” Webster said. “When there was four to win and one ball left, I said, ‘I’m either getting out here or it’s going to the boundary’. How many chances do you get to hit the winning runs for your country, let alone in the fifth and deciding Test?
Mitchell Starc, Scott Boland, Nathan Lyon, Pat Cummins and Beau Webster in the SCG sheds. Credit: Getty Images
“It’s a dream. There was probably a time in my life where I thought it might have passed me by. To get the call-up in the fifth and deciding Test, I was a bit nervous, not going to lie, but once I took a catch and got a few runs away, it was business as usual. It was a great week.”
Australia’s next assignment is a two-Test tour of Sri Lanka, with the opening match in Galle starting on January 29.
A touring squad will be named this week, probably on Thursday, and Webster is eager to be involved. Australia will then head to the UK in June for the WTC final against South Africa before a three-Test series against the West Indies in the Caribbean.
“There’s plenty of Test cricket coming up. I hope I can stay in this team for as long as I can,” Webster said. “It’s a really infectious group to be around. It’s really enjoyable. I just want to play cricket and enjoy myself and being in this team is that. It’s a massive time of the year.”
It comes as veteran allrounder Glenn Maxwell said he was unsure whether he’d be included in a likely 16-man squad.
Maxwell was in the squad the last time Australia toured Sri Lanka three years ago, but did not figure in either of the two Tests. The 36-year-old’s hopes of being on the tour to India in 2023 were dashed when he broke his leg in an accident at a friend’s birthday party in November 2022.
“It’s hard to know,” Maxwell said when asked on SEN Radio on Monday about his chances of a Test recall. “With the way the guys played in this Test series, you’re unsure which way [selectors] are going to go.
“I’d love to say with 100 per cent confidence I’ll definitely be on the plane but I’m not sure. It’d be pretty amazing to be part of that squad.”
Australia’s Test stars will be available for upcoming Big Bash matches but which games are yet to be determined. Konstas could feature for the Sydney Thunder on Wednesday against the Hurricanes but needs clearance from Cricket Australia.
Axed Test allrounder Mitch Marsh will play his first BBL match in nearly three years and will be joined in the Perth Scorchers side by unused Test squad member Jhye Richardson for the match against the Melbourne Renegades.
Sports news, results and expert commentary. Sign up for our Sport newsletter.
