Beau, take a bow: Aussie allrounder shines in England

The 31-year-old slugger from Snug, who made a striking international bow in January with 57 and 39 not out in the series-clinching Test win over India at the SCG, introduced himself to fans of his new Midlands county with equal aplomb on Saturday.

"To get to that first-innings lead was really important. It was touch and go, but Beau played brilliantly on a track like that," enthused one of Webster's new teammates Ed Barnard, who watched the powerful striker hitting 13 fours and a six to help Warwickshire pass Yorkshire's total of 205.

Starting the day at 6-161, it was Webster's audacious approach that fired the visitors, his pre-lunch assault at nearly a run a ball largely responsible for getting the Bears to a total of 253, a valuable lead of 48.

On 32 overnight, Webster reached his half-century off 54 balls, and took a shine to the wayward pace bowling of fellow Aussie debutant Jordan Buckingham, cracking him for five boundaries off three of his overs as the Yorkshire quick ended with painful figures of 1-84 off his 11 overs.

When Yorkshire skipper and wicketkeeper Jonny Bairstow moved up to the stumps to the medium-to-quick stuff of Ben Coad, Webster immediately had the impudence to scoop him straight over Bairstow's shoulder for six.

Dominating a 74-run eighth-wicket partnership with wicketkeeper Kai Smith, the only disappointment for Webster, running out of partners, was to hole out to midwicket with a thumping shot just when a ton was looming.

Webster didn't fare as well with the ball, finishing with 0-50 off 11 overs in Yorkshire's second knock, but of all the batters on view, only England great Joe Root could get anywhere near his score, eventually being dismissed for 90 out of the home side's 232 all out.

Webster looks odds-on to be called on to bat again, with Warwickshire needing 170 more to win on Sunday with all 10 wickets intact.