Sydney, Jan 3: Debutant all-rounder Beau Webster feels facing ace India pacer Jasprit Bumrah will be an enormous challenge on the SCG pitch which is helping seamers, and the Australian did not place his finger on an ideal first innings score.
India were all out for 185 and then Australia lost Usman Khawaja off the last ball of the day to Bumrah to end at 9 for one.
“Think there’s definitely a method to go about batting on this wicket. But Jasprit is a world class bowler and no doubt he’s going to challenge our whole batting group. He’s phenomenal with his lengths and lines, it is going to be tough on a wicket that will offer a fair bit for him,” Webster said in the post day one press conference.
He said getting India out for a total less than 200 on a seamer friendly track was a commendable effort.
“It was a pretty seamer-friendly track and most of the day the ball stayed pretty new with the grass coverage. It is not an abrasive square either. So, the plan was to bowl a little bit fuller and entice those front foot defences and front foot drives.
“Thought Scotty (Boland) was excellent, he’s been unbelievable since he came back into the team and saw why he’s a world class bowler. Thought all the bowlers were really good today to bowl them out for 200.”
Webster said the degree of seam movement for a few deliveries was way more pronounced and hence they beat the bat regularly.
“There were a couple of unplayable balls, when it seams that much it can be hard to get a wicket at times. We saw a nice-ish partnership (Jadeja-Pant), where we struggled to get a breakthrough through the sheer seam movement. We beat the bat a lot but couldn’t find the edge.”
The 31-year-old was all praise for Boland and said the pacer can find a way to get wickets on any surface and when there is help on offer, he is on par with the best in business.
“If there’s anything in the wicket he finds it and if there’s nothing in the wicket he still manages to find a way through,” the lanky Tasmanian said.
“He’s been fantastic this whole series when he’s got his chance, he’s relentless. I think it’s his line and length and his natural angle that makes it really hard for right-handers, but when we see him go round the wicket to left-handers it’s impressive stuff.”
Webster caught the great Virat Kohli at third slip and he found Boland’s bowling enjoyable.
“It’s great to watch from the third slip today, the amount of movement he gets and how accurate he is and how challenging he is for both left and right handers. He’s been superb, he can bowl long spells and back up the next day
“He’s a ripping bloke so everyone is stoked when he does well which seems to be all the time at the moment.”
Webster said he was happy to put his nondescript village, Snug in Tasmania, a part of the cricketing map.
“My phone has been blowing off with messages and calls. It is a proud moment especially since I come from a small place and it is nice to put it on the map,” he added. (PTI)
