Jacob Bethell’s sparkling century offers silver lining for England in Sydney
Bethell – 22 years old and playing just his sixth Test match – had never scored a first-class hundred before hitting an unbeaten 142 at the SCG.
Jacob Bethell’s coming-of-age century offered hope for the future as England’s Ashes present tipped towards another defeat in Sydney.
Bethell – 22 years old and playing just his sixth Test match – made a mockery of the awkward fact that he had never before scored a first-class hundred with a gem of an innings that relieved the end-of-tour gloom on day four at the SCG.
Dubbed ‘Starboy’ by England’s official X account and heralded as a ‘diamond’ by Stuart Broad in the Channel 7 commentary booth, Bethell delivered the goods with a high-class 142 not out.
It may not be enough to usher his side to victory, a deserved 4-1 loss rather than a tighter 3-2 scoreline surely beckons with England just 119 ahead on 302 for eight, but it confirmed Bethell will be a major part of whatever team emerges from the rubble.
England captain Ben Stokes, who scored his first Test hundred in Australia as a 22-year-old in 2013, ended the day in a familiar state of disrepair. He picked up a right adductor injury in his groin while bowling his second over of the morning and was dismissed for one after dropping down to number eight in the order.
That makes him the fourth English seamer to break down, following Mark Wood, Jofra Archer and Gus Atkinson, and continues a worrying fitness record that has seen him grapple with hip, knee, hamstring and shoulder problems in the past three years.
But this was a day to focus on Bethell, a late arrival in this series who only replaced Ollie Pope at number three after the Ashes had been surrendered at 3-0.
For all the joy that met Bethell’s big moment, there is also a nagging feeling of what might have been had they backed their hunch sooner. He was fast-tracked as an injury replacement in New Zealand a year ago – scoring 96 in Wellington – but spent most of the summer running drinks as the selectors showed too much faith to Pope.
Bethell scored his first professional century in an ODI against South Africa in September and became the country’s youngest ever captain when leading a second-string T20 side in Ireland later that month, but England will regret holding him back in Australia.
His knock here was from the very top drawer. With England 183 behind as they came out to bat, he was hastened the crease in the first over after Zak Crawley’s fifth-ball demise to Mitchell Starc.
The bowlers were fresh, the new Kookaburra was zipping around and the home fans scented the possibility of an innings victory. Bethell edged two of his first 12 deliveries in front of the cordon and battled to 27 before a Cameron Green bouncer climbed into the side of his helmet.
But he weathered the storm, relying on sound technique and sweet timing. He leaned into drives, whipped efficiently to leg and rang up his fifty with a whipcrack of a cut shot when Starc strayed wide.
He was there as England wiped out the deficit in 42 overs and shared in stands of 81 with Ben Duckett, 32 with Joe Root and 102 alongside Harry Brook along the way.
Duckett played Michael Neser on for 42, Root ended a strong series on a disappointing note when Scott Boland trapped him lbw for six and Brook made 42 before being beaten by the part-time off-spin of Beau Webster. But Bethell kept going.
Marnus Labuschagne helped him into the 90s with a throw that fizzed off the stumps and raced away to the ropes but he was nervy as he approached his landmark, almost tempted to chase a crazy single on 99. He took decisive action off the next ball, stepping down to Webster and launching over wide long-on for his 13th boundary.
He marked the occasion in composed fashion, not betraying his status as a first-timer, but in the stands father Graham led a more emotional family celebration.
It was briefly possible to forget England’s wider troubles but they came rushing back into focus as Webster slipped one past Brook’s defence then picked up Will Jacks for a duck. Moving ahead of the injured Stokes and the demoted Jamie Smith, the all-rounder slogged his second ball to the diving Boland.
The distant idea that England might be capable of building a competitive lead took a hit when Smith was run out following a complete communication breakdown with Bethell, and all but disappeared with Stokes. He walked out stiffly, lasted just five balls and dabbed Webster gently to slip.
Bethell lost another partner when Brydon Carse fell late on, but Australia could not unseat England’s new hero.
