Beau Webster recalled, Todd Murphy again misses after Steve Smith said Aussies were ‘backed into a corner’ by a green pitch
Australia have pulled an unprecedented selection move for the final Ashes Test, leaving out their frontline spinner Todd Murphy and instead picking Beau Webster for his first match of the summer in Sydney.
Not since 1888, when cricket was completely unrecognisable to the professional game it is today, have the Aussies neglected to play a frontline slow bowler for a Test at the SCG, once considered this country’s spin haven.
But, with England winning the toss and electing to bat first on a green-tinged pitch on Sunday morning, Steve Smith confirmed they had defied almost 140 years of standard practice and left out Murphy for the NRMA Insurance series finale.
Australia XI: Jake Weatherald, Travis Head, Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith, Usman Khawaja, Alex Carey (wk), Cameron Green, Beau Webster, Michael Neser, Mitchell Starc, Scott Boland
England XI: Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Jacob Bethell, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ben Stokes (c), Jamie Smith (wk), Will Jacks, Brydon Carse, Matthew Potts, Josh Tongue
Allrounder Webster instead won the final spot in the XI, replacing Jhye Richardson as the only change from the Australian team that lost by four wickets in Melbourne. It gives the home side five pace options, though Webster can also bowl useful off-spin.
Smith insisted it gave him no pleasure to leave out Murphy but the surface had given selectors no choice.
“Hate doing it,” he said at the toss. “But if we keep producing wickets that we don’t think are going to spin and seam is going to play a big part and cracks are going to play a big part, you kind of get pushed into a corner.”
Webster had been an unfortunate casualty of Cameron Green resuming bowling this summer having performed strongly through his first seven Tests after debuting at this ground against India last year.
Richardson meanwhile had been something of a free swing for Australia in Melbourne. Coach Andrew McDonald suggested his selection after years of shoulder problems was contingent on him being the fourth member of the pace attack.
Here they have instead elected to deepen their batting line-up in the expectation this surface offers plenty to the seamers. Michael Neser has been listed at nine and Mitchell Starc, with two half-centuries this series, at 10.
England also neglected to recall their frontline spinner for a fifth straight game, meaning Shoaib Bashir will return home having not played a single Test down under.
The visitors’ only change see Matthew Potts make his Ashes debut as a replacement for the injured Gus Atkinson.
More to come.
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, 10:30am 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
