Tasmania 364 (Ward 92, Silk 74, Webster 61, Radhakrishnan 55) and 268 during December 8 (Ward 96, Abbott 4-71) New South Wales 338 (Patterson 99, Gilkes 62, Bell 4-52) and 239 (Philippe 55, Kuhnemann 3-76) by 55 runs
A stubborn ninth-wicket partnership from Adam Zampa and Chris Green and a lightning-forced delay combined to frustrate Tasmania in the final hour after they looked on top declaring 294 runs ahead.
But Webster, who has a chance to break into Australia’s XI this summer if all-rounder Mitch Marsh needs a rest, produced two crucial late wickets to dash any hopes of NSW holding on to a draw.
The towering 30-year-old lured Australian white-ball prop Zampa into attacking Jake Doran on the first ball of his new spell. Jackson Bird to Tim Ward at slips without scoring later, with NSW on top just 13 minutes before play closed on day four.
Reigning Sheffield Shield Series player Webster’s bowling heroics came after handy contributions of 61 and 49 with the bat and sealed Tasmania’s first win of the season.
“He’s a special player at the moment,” Tasmania captain Jordan Silk said of Webster. “Every time I feel like we’re in trouble, I feel like I can throw the ball to him and he seems to be able to create something.
“I know there is a bit of talk about him as a possible replacement. [Test] off-road and I am very supportive of that movement if they want to go down that path.
The day began on a somber note as tributes to Hughes brought the SCG to a standstill. The former Test batsman died 10 years ago on Wednesday after a bouncer hit him on the neck while batting in a Shield match at the famous ground.
The man who bowled that delivery, Sean Abbott, was comforted by his NSW teammates as he cried during the minute’s silence before the match.
Abbott inspired a Tasmanian collapse of 4 for 10 early in the day, dismissing Webster as the most crucial of his three wickets.
Doran stumped Davies with a Kuhnemann delivery that bounced fiendishly outside off stump, before the spinner advanced in a deep NSW batting order later in the day.
As pressure mounts on the Australian top-flight, former Test player Patterson has missed the chance to further assert his international credentials. The in-form left-hander skied Tasmania’s Kieran Elliott towards wicketkeeper Jake Doran, who caught the run at backward square leg.
It was the first time in five knocks since his first-class retirement that Patterson failed to make a half-century.
When Matthew Gilkes was also caught behind by Doran in the next over off Kuhnemann, NSW were reeling at 120 for 5 with a further 175 runs needed for victory.
Josh Philippe offered some resistance before being bowled over by Mitch Owen as he returned to the attack, and Webster did the rest in the final half hour.
