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- Australia vs England 5th Ashes Test, Day 4 highlights: England 302/8 at stumps, lead by 119 runs vs Australia at SCG
Australia vs England 5th Ashes Test, Day 4 highlights: England 302/8 at stumps, lead by 119 runs vs Australia at SCG
By stumps on day four at the Sydney Cricket Ground, the tourists were 302-8 with Bethell not out 142 and Matthew Potts yet to score.
The 22-year-old Bethell saved the day after Zak Crawley fell early and veteran Joe Root cheaply, powering to his hundred in style off 162 balls.
But wickets tumbled around him with Harry Brook (42) and Will Jacks (0) removed in the space of three balls by the off-spin of Beau Webster two overs after Bethell reached the landmark.
A calamitous mix-up then saw Jamie Smith (24) run out.
Ben Stokes (1) came in at seven after limping off clutching what appeared to be his groin while bowling the third over of the day, but only lasted five balls with Webster again doing the damage.
England are desperate for another morale-boosting win after victory in the previous Test at Melbourne. Australia lead 3-1 and have already retained the Ashes.
Remarkably, it was not just Bethell's maiden Test ton but the only one he has scored in red-ball cricket, with his previous best 96 against New Zealand.
Bethell was recalled for Melbourne to replace the under-performing Ollie Pope, scoring a gritty 40 in difficult batting conditions with the number three position now his to lose.
His exploits came after the hosts were dismissed for 567 before lunch on the back of Travis Head's 163 and 138 from skipper Steve Smith.
That left England chasing a 183-run deficit after their first innings 384.
- Starc strikes early -
They needed a solid start, but chief tormentor Mitchell Starc once again conjured up a first-over breakthrough -- his 29th wicket for the series.
The pace spearhead delivered a beautiful inswinger that Crawley misjudged and left, with the ball smacking his pads and he was out lbw for one.
Fellow opener Ben Duckett was dropped on 38, but failed to capitalise and was bowled by Michael Neser on 42, his highest score in a wretched series.
Root, fresh from his first innings 160, was terrorised by Starc and Neser.
He finally fell lbw after facing 37 balls for his six runs to the relentless Scott Boland, with the 35-year-old trudging off dejected.
But Bethell proved unmovable.
A single off Neser overhauled Australia's lead soon after tea and the youngster passed three figures emphatically with a cracking boundary through midwicket.
But Webster then swung the momentum back to Australia with his double strike, trapping Brook lbw before Jacks inexplicably holed out to Cameron Green in the deep.
Smith's run-out compounded England's problems, the wicketkeeper-batsman setting off for a single but sent back by Bethell and caught well short by Jake Weatherald's throw.
Stokes edged Webster to Smith in the slips with Brydon Carse doing the same off Boland on 16.
Australia resumed at 518-7, with Smith on 129 after his 13th Ashes century -- more than any other player except the legendary Don Bradman -- and Webster on 42.
Smith flogged Stokes through the covers for a boundary in his first over, while Webster dished out similar treatment to Carse.
But the Australia skipper did not last long, nicking a fuller length delivery from Josh Tongue to wicketkeeper Jamie Smith.
Webster reached a fifth half-century in his eighth Test with a single and put on 20 with Starc before the big paceman was bowled by Tongue for five.
Boland suffered a golden duck to leave Webster unbeaten on 71.
Tongue ended with 3-97 and Carse 3-130.
Mitchell Starc to Jamie Smith, Speared into the batter at 143.7 kph, full and from around the stumps. Jamie Smith presses forward and blocks it out.
Mitchell Starc to Jamie Smith, Hard length, on top of off, Smith hangs back and taps it back to the bowler.
Mitchell Starc to Jamie Smith, Full and on middle, Smith blocks it solidly off the crease.
- Jamie Smith 1 (3)
- Jacob Bethell 106 (167)
Beau Webster to Jamie Smith, The length is dragged back, just outside off, Jamie Smith hangs back and punches it wide of cover for a single.
Beau Webster to Jamie Smith, Nice and full, on middle, pushed back to the bowler.
Beau Webster to Jamie Smith, Tossed up, full and around off, Smith blocks off the front foot.
This is highly disappointing for Will Jacks to play such a stroke knowing you are virtually a batter down and in a challenging moment in the contest. Will Jacks departs for a 2-ball duck and Jamie Smith replaces him out in the middle.
Beau Webster to Will Jacks, OUT! HIGH UP AND TAKEN! Beau Webster with an inspired bowling spell. A needless throw of a wicket from Jacks and the Aussies roar back in the game. Lands it fuller, on off, turning in from the rough. Will Jacks gets low and across to slog it over deep mid-wicket, but he loses his shape and his head falls over. Hence, the ball travels off the inside half of the bat to the deep. Cameron Green runs in off the ropes and dives a bit to his left and gathers the dipping ball in his big buckets safely while taking a tumble. The Aussies are ecstatic and rightly so. Webster celebrates again with both arms aloft as his teammates swamp him. Will Jacks departs on a silver duck and from 219/3, England are 219/5.
Beau Webster to Will Jacks, Spins across on a length, Jacks backs away and knocks it to the off side.
What an excellent review this has turned out to be for the Aussies. Alex Carey needs to be applauded for this as well because he was the one who convinced Steve Smith to go upstairs despite Beau Webster suggesting this would miss the stumps on height. With Ben Stokes suffering a GROIN INJURY, Will Jacks takes his place in the batting lineup and walks out next to bat.
Beau Webster to Harry Brook, OUT! LBW! What a brilliant review for Australia. Beau Webster with a huge breakthrough. Pitched fractionally fuller, spinning in from the rough patch with bounce. Harry Brook is pinned in the crease as he tries to block it straight but gets outfoxed by the prodigious turn into him. Plays over the line and the ball clips the front pad. A huge appeal for LBW, but not given. Beau Webster thinks it is a bit too high, but Carey seems certain and convinces his skipper to take the review. Snicko shows a flat line when the ball is next to the bat and the Ball Tracking comes up with three reds, with the ball projected to smash into the middle and leg stumps. Harry Brook walks back after yet another start and will remain century-less this Ashes. 42 (48) for Brook, and the 102-run partnership is broken. England are 219/4, leading by 36 runs.
- Jacob Bethell 106 (167)
- Harry Brook 42 (47)
Mitchell Starc to Jacob Bethell, Too full, on the stumps, carved straight back.
Mitchell Starc to Harry Brook, Overpitched on middle, flicked off the pads to mid on. Neser moves to his left and slides to cut it off, but parries it to the deep for a single.
Mitchell Starc to Harry Brook, EDGED, FOUR! Frustrations keep rising for Australia! Very full, outside off, Brook advances down the track and throws his bat at it, to smash through the off side, but gets a thick outside edge and the ball shoots between the second slip and gully for a boundary.
Mitchell Starc to Harry Brook, Risky from Brook! He makes room by shuffling to the leg stump, shaping for the ramp up and over deep third on this short ball, but fails to connect.
Mitchell Starc to Jacob Bethell, Oh, nearly dragged on! Full and wide on off, Jacob Bethell leans on to crack the cover drive, but he inside edges it past the leg stump and the ball rolls behind to deep fine leg for a single.
Mitchell Starc to Jacob Bethell, On top of middle, on a length, Bethell taps it across to short mid-wicket.
- Jacob Bethell 105 (164)
- Harry Brook 37 (44)
Beau Webster to Jacob Bethell, Full and drifting on the pads, Jacob flicks it to the right of mid on for a single.
Beau Webster to Harry Brook, Tossed-up delivery, around off, pushed to the left of mid off for a single.
Beau Webster to Jacob Bethell, Shortish delivery, bouncing and turning from off, Jacob hangs deep and cuts it to deep point for a single.
In a remarkable moment at the packed SCG, Jacob Bethell brings up his maiden Test century during the final match of the Ashes 2025/26 series, a milestone that visibly moved his father to tears of joy. This emphatic announcement to the world of cricket, however, is only half the job done. Bethell knows he needs to begin from scratch again, aiming to convert this into a significant score that puts the team in a commanding position.
Beau Webster to Jacob Bethell, FOUR! HUNDRED FOR JACOB BETHELL! His first-ever Test century. His maiden Ashes century, and his first First Class ton as well. A star has risen from the cauldron of the SCG. His family in the stands cheers for him with pride and the Barmy Army is up and about as well. Webster drops it full and on the stumps, Jacob Bethell shimmies down the track and launches it over mid on for a boundary. A very fluent and mature knock from the youngster against a quality bowling attack. He has batted beyond his years, and this first is worth remembering for a long, long time.
Beau Webster to Jacob Bethell, Tossed up, full and on middle, Jacob Bethell drives it inside out to wide mid off.
Beau Webster to Jacob Bethell, Pushed through, full and on off, Jacob Bethell leans on and flicks it to short mid-wicket.
- Harry Brook 36 (43)
- Jacob Bethell 99 (159)
Mitchell Starc to Harry Brook, Wayward! Slanted far down leg, on a hard length. Brook ignores. Carey dives full-length to his left and gathers it nicely behind the stumps.
Mitchell Starc to Harry Brook, Effort ball from Starc. Pushes it across the batter, going down leg, on a length. Brook misses to glance it across and misses.
Mitchell Starc to Harry Brook, Short at 141 kph, and it keeps flying off the pitch, around off. Harry Brook stands tall to execute the ramp shot over the slip cordon, but fails to get his bat on ball.
Mitchell Starc to Harry Brook, Hard length, on top of off, Brook is rock-solid in defence off the back foot.
Mitchell Starc to Harry Brook, Bashed hard on a length, on middle, Brook taps it back to the bowler using soft hands.
Mitchell Starc to Harry Brook, Bowls from a wider angle, does Starc. Short and on top of middle. Brook backs away and tries to play the uppercut, but misses.
- Jacob Bethell 99 (159)
- Harry Brook 36 (37)
Scott Boland to Jacob Bethell, Bethell remains parked on 99! Good length, lasered on the pads, Jacob hangs back and tucks it to short mid-wicket.
Scott Boland to Jacob Bethell, Fractionally short, slanting in and around middle. Bethell blocks it off the back foot to the leg side.
Scott Boland to Jacob Bethell, On a back of a length, cutting back in with some bounce. Bethell stands tall and bunts it back to Boland. His heart would surely be beating very fast right now.
Scott Boland to Harry Brook, Fullish and around off, Brook tries to push it straight, but the ball nips in to take the inside edge before the ball rolls to the right of mid-wicket. It is stopped by Neser with a dive. A single taken.
Scott Boland to Harry Brook, Length ball, outside off, Brook climbs on it and taps it to point with soft hands.
Scott Boland to Harry Brook, Wide outside off, good length, left alone by Brook.
- Jacob Bethell 99 (156)
- Harry Brook 35 (34)
Mitchell Starc to Jacob Bethell, Another one banged short, on middle, Jacob gets inside the line and ducks under it. Bethell remains on 99 for now.
Mitchell Starc to Jacob Bethell, Starc slams hard into the pitch, short and just outside off, Jacob Bethell leans back and drops his wrists to leave.
Mitchell Starc to Harry Brook, Easy singles! He camps back and casually steers this length ball to deep backward point for a single.
Mitchell Starc to Jacob Bethell, Angling into the batter, on a good length. Jacob Bethell waits back and nudges it through backward square leg for a single. He is on 99 and every run is being cheered off his bat!
Mitchell Starc to Harry Brook, On a length, outside off, Brook punches it to deep backward point for a single. England's lead is now 20 runs!
Here comes the Australian Ace pacer, Mitchell Starc. The Aussie skipper Smith senses an opportunity to make inroads, and he has counted on his most reliable troop to get a wicket for him at this stage.
Mitchell Starc to Jacob Bethell, Short of a good length, just outside off, Jacob Bethell gets on the back foot and knocks it to the cover region for a quick single. Moves to 98, does Bethell!
- Jacob Bethell 97 (152)
- Harry Brook 33 (32)
Scott Boland to Jacob Bethell, Full and around off, Jacob Bethell presses forward and dabs it through cover-point for a single.
Scott Boland to Jacob Bethell, BEAUTY! Probes in and around the channel of off, on a back of a length, nipping away. Jacob Bethell gets squared up as he tries to block and is beaten all ends up.
Scott Boland to Jacob Bethell, Nice and full, angled in and around middle. Jacob gets on the front foot and drills it back to the bowler's left. Neser sticks out his left hand and plucks the ball on the bounce.
Scott Boland to Jacob Bethell, At 133.8 kph, this is bashed on a length, outside off, nibbling away. Jacob Bethell prods forward and watchfully lets it pass.
Scott Boland to Jacob Bethell, A tempter, full and outside off, Jacob does not fall prey to it. Leaves it alone.
Scott Boland to Harry Brook, He rises up on his toes and taps this length delivery through backward point for a single. 200 UP FOR ENGLAND!
- Jacob Bethell 96 (147)
- Harry Brook 32 (31)
Michael Neser to Jacob Bethell, A very hopeful appeal for LBW from Neser, but he gets no support from the men behind the batter. Smith has a word with his bowler, but they decide against it. Slanting back in from middle, on a hard length, with some bounce. Jacob Bethell plays all over it while trying to tuck it across to the leg side, and wears it on the thigh pad. Ball Tracking shows that it would have missed the leg stump.
Match Statistics
Venue
Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG), Sydney
