Test belief never an issue for patient allrounder

Beau Webster believed all summer he was good enough to play in the Ashes before intensifying Australia's selection debate by proving it at the SCG.

Playing as a second allrounder alongside out-of-sorts Cameron Green, Webster made an unbeaten half-century and took Test career-best bowling figures to help Australia wrest control of the series finale.

A woeful dropped slips catch from Green before lunch compounded pressure that has mounted on the first-choice allrounder this series.

After day four of his first Test this summer, Webster (3-51) was Australia's leading wicket-taker for the second innings with his part-time off-spin.

"I had no doubt, coming into the summer, I thought I was as good as anyone in that squad to be in the XI in Perth," said Webster, as Australia trailed by 119 runs with two more wickets to take.

"The selectors picked the team they thought was going to win the Test and full credit to them. 

"They've made some calls over this series that haven't been too popular and here we are at 3-1, hopefully going to go 4-1, in the series."

Webster never gave up hope of adding to his seven Test caps.

"There's always a couple of guys that are going to get left out and a couple of guys that might deserve it or might not and whatnot," he said.

"The message is, 'You haven't really been dropped, you just can't be fitted in this XI at the moment'."

Webster enhanced his case to usurp Green as first-choice allrounder with an unbeaten 71 batting at No.9 in Australia's first innings.

The Tasmanian's first knock this summer yielded more runs than any of Green's.

Green has averaged 21.28 runs this summer with a top score of 45, most recently picking out Ben Duckett on 37 during day three.

With the ball, Green has taken four wickets at 70.75 for the series, and also overstepped on a wicket ball on the second day at the SCG.

But on Wednesday, Webster returned his best figures from eight Test matches, swinging momentum back to Australia after tea.

He first sent the dangerous Harry Brook (42) packing lbw before Will Jacks (0) holed out to Green in front of the Bill O'Reilly Stand two deliveries later.

When an injured Ben Stokes (1), unable to run, clipped straight to Steve Smith, Webster had his third scalp.

Green compounded a poor Ashes series by fumbling a slips catch to the ground in the penultimate over before lunch.

Making matters worse, the 26-year-old dived in front of reliable fielder Smith in his attempt to dismiss opener Duckett on 38 runs.

The mistake ultimately did not cost Australia dearly, with Duckett (42) chopping on facing Michael Neser just after lunch.

2025-26 NRMA Insurance Men's Ashes

First Test: Australia won by eight wickets

Second Test: Australia won by eight wickets

Third Test: Australia won by 82 runs

Fourth Test: England won by four wickets

Fifth Test: January 4-8: SCG, Sydney, 10am AEDT

Australia squad (fifth Test): Steve Smith (c), Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Brendan Doggett, Cameron Green, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Todd Murphy, Michael Neser, Jhye Richardson, Mitchell Starc, Jake Weatherald, Beau Webster

England squad: Ben Stokes (c), Harry Brook (vc), Shoaib Bashir, Jacob Bethell, Brydon Carse, Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Matthew Fisher, Will Jacks, Ollie Pope, Matthew Potts, Joe Root, Jamie Smith (wk), Josh Tongue