Webster saves the day, but Australia reject spin at their peril

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A few minutes before tea on day four, a cheer went up around the SCG, for Steve Smith had decided to try a spinner for the 40th over of England’s second innings.

Partly the cheer was for the identity of that spinner – cult hero Travis Head – but it was also evidence that another big Sydney crowd had tired of a constant diet of seam bowling.

Head’s first ball landed in the perfect spot outside Harry Brook’s off stump, disturbed the top of the pitch, and drew an inside edge that wasn’t too far away from presenting a bat-pad catch.

Beau Webster couldn’t contain his excitement after snaring Will Jacks for a duck.

Later in the same over, another delivery burst through the top of the pitch and kicked at Brook, who, after a hurried inside edge, then kicked the ball away to ensure it did not backspin into the stumps.

These were all promising signs for Head, but after tea the pace procession continued. England got back into the game through Brook and the exceptionally organised Jacob Bethell, a left-hander who faced precisely one ball of off-spin turning away from his bat before he got to 99 on a pitch starting to deteriorate. Bethell went to his hundred by plonking another part-time spinner, Beau Webster, over wide long-on.

That alone is reason enough to question why there was no specialist spinner in Australia's attack this week. But it is also worthwhile to recall the words of former Australian spin bowler and selector Peter Taylor on day one.

“To me, the fundamental formula of a balanced cricket team has not changed,” he said.

“Even if you go to Perth or the Gabba, it’s still nice to have that option. As a selector, we always tried to have that option – three quality fast bowlers, a spinner and a good all-rounder. That really should be enough to win a game of cricket.

“But if you don’t have the spinner, it’s one more thing you can’t do. Even if it’s not going to turn square, it’s just a change, and you need to have that balance in your attack.”

Taylor’s words were to be handsomely backed up by how Webster made the most of that loose surface area outside off stump that Head had previously uncovered. First, he got one to grip and rip off the straight to flummox Harry Brook and break a dangerous partnership. Two balls later, he coaxed Will Jacks into an unwise swipe into the outfield, where Cameron Green stooped to claim the catch and tilt the game back towards Australia.

It will never be known whether earlier use of Webster or Head would have caused wickets to fall more quickly, or whether the inclusion of Todd Murphy might have done likewise.

But what was interesting about proceedings on day four was strong evidence that, right now, Australia are not only reluctant to pick a full-time spin bowler in anything but the most obviously helpful conditions, but they are also reluctant to use the spin options they have until pace is exhausted.

Earlier in the game, assistant coach Dan Vettori had alluded to the team’s view that, in recent summers, home conditions have meant that Nathan Lyon’s role has become increasingly peripheral.

“Seamers have been so effective that it’s hard to go away from them,” Vettori said. “It just feels like they’re the ones who are going to be in the game most of the time, and spinners haven’t been able to get into games on these types of surfaces.

“At some stage it will get back to possibly how it was preceding these last couple of years, but, at this point in time, it’s about the fast bowlers.”

One Sydney Test that has stuck in the team memory bank is a drawn game against South Africa in January 2023. Ashton Agar was picked alongside Lyon and bowled poorly as the game petered out. But it is also important to remember that rain took significant chunks of play out of the game, not only reducing available time, but also affecting the deterioration of the pitch.

The overall numbers for Lyon over the past four summers in Australia do not suggest that he’s been surplus to requirements – far from it. In 22 Tests in Australia since then, Lyon has collected 73 wickets at 25.91, striking every 58 balls. Those figures rank favourably with any spin bowler in Australia in any era. And even when he hasn’t taken wickets, the concession of 2.67 runs per over has given the pacemen valuable respite.

Cameras panned to Murphy in the final session, resplendent in his fluoro bib. He had undoubtedly seen enough to suggest that this was a pitch on which there were wickets to be taken.

Something that did become clear in the final hour of play at the SCG was also that Webster and Head, while handy, don’t have the full-time skills to maintain their lines and lengths for long periods. Australia were grateful for a harebrained run-out for England’s sixth wicket before a lame Ben Stokes edged a Webster short ball into Smith’s hands.

Webster’s contribution was notable. Left on the bench until the final Test, he has delivered runs, wickets and ebullience to the cause, and merits a more regular place in the side.

But with some help from Brydon Carse, Bethell and England wriggled through to stumps with some faint hope to make a game of it on day five: the day that specialist spinners generally have the most fun.

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