Sydney, January 7 - A remarkable maiden Test century from Jacob Bethell has pushed the fifth Ashes Test at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) into a Day 5 finish, as England recovered from a shaky start to take a narrow 119-run lead against Australia. However, Australia remains in control, poised to chase down the target on the final day to secure a 4-1 series victory.
The day began poorly for England, already trailing in the series 3-1, when Mitchell Starc struck early to dismiss Zak Crawley for 1. England's woes compounded when captain Ben Stokes limped off the field with a groin injury early in the day. Stokes, who has battled injuries throughout his career, pulled up during his bowling spell, later confirmed as a right adductor complaint.
Despite the setbacks, England mounted a resilient fightback, spearheaded by the young Jacob Bethell. The 22-year-old left-hander played a composed and elegant innings, demonstrating maturity beyond his years. He formed a 76-run partnership with Ben Duckett, who contributed a gritty 42 before being dismissed by Michael Neser. Joe Root's stay at the crease was brief, falling for 6, further adding to England's challenges.
Bethell then found a valuable ally in Harry Brook, with the pair adding 57 runs to the total. However, just as England appeared to be gaining momentum, Brook was dismissed for 42. This dismissal triggered a mini-collapse, with wickets falling at regular intervals. Will Jacks was dismissed for a duck, and Jamie Smith was run out, leaving England struggling. Stokes, batting down the order due to his injury, could only manage 1 run.
Amidst the chaos, Bethell remained unfazed, anchoring the innings and displaying remarkable composure. He reached his maiden first-class century in style, dancing down the wicket and hitting Beau Webster for a boundary. His innings, a blend of back-foot punches and precise pull shots, was a masterclass in elegant stroke play. At stumps, Bethell remained unbeaten on 142, having struck 15 fours during his innings. He became the ninth England batter to score a century against Australia aged 22 or younger. Matthew Potts is the other not out batsman at the end of the day's play.
Australia's Beau Webster proved his value with both bat and ball, contributing an unbeaten 71 in Australia's first innings and then taking crucial wickets in England's second innings. His ability to bowl part-time off-spin adds another dimension to the Australian attack. Steve Smith also displayed his brilliance, taking remarkable catches in the slips to dismiss Stokes and Brydon Carse.
England closed Day 4 on 302 for 8, holding a slender lead of 119 runs. While Bethell's century provided a glimmer of hope for England, Australia remains in a strong position to chase down the target on Day 5 and secure a series victory. The final day promises to be a thrilling contest, with England aiming to set a challenging target and Australia determined to finish the series on a high.
