Fifth Ashes Test, Sydney Cricket Ground (Day 4 of 5)
England 384: Root 160, Brook 84; Nessel 4-60 & 302-8: Bethel 142*; Webster 3-51
Australia 567: Head 163, Smith 138; Tongue 3-97, Cass 3-130
advertise
England lead by 119 points
scorecard
Jacob Bethell’s stunning maiden century gave England a glimmer of hope but could not prevent the tourists from sliding to defeat in the fifth Test against Australia.
The 22-year-old announced himself as England’s long-term number three with a stunning unbeaten 142 in the sixth Test at a sunny Sydney Cricket Ground.
However, a late wicket on day four saw England lead at 302-8 in the second innings, ultimately leading by just 119 runs.
It took huge contributions from Bethel and tailback, along with a flawless bowling performance on a worn pitch, to prevent Australia from winning 4-1 on the final day of the series on Thursday.
advertise
Without Bethell’s breakthrough strike, England would have been beaten on day four, with captain Ben Stokes leaving the field with a right groin injury.
England were still able to score 23 runs off the last three wickets of Australia’s first innings, with Steve Smith taking 138 runs. The hosts totaled 567 points and led by 183 points.
Bethell scored 42 points with Ben Duckett scoring 81 and Harry Brook scoring 134 respectively.
But after Brooke was bombarded with a sharp break from Beau Webster, Will Jacks joined the ranks of England batsmen playing ridiculous shots on this tour.
advertise
Jamie Smith was dismissed in a scrum with Bethell, the limping Stokes was poked at slip and Brydon Carse bowled out the excellent Scott Boland. Overall, England lost 5 wickets for 78 runs.
That left Matthew Potts with Bethell, who rose above England’s mediocrity to stay at the end of the game. He basked in the cheers of the raucous Bami Army as their new heroes.
Ending a bleak tour
England left Australia with few positives, but Bethell’s graduation from promising talent to genuine Test batsman will always remain in the memory.
On Sydney’s pitch, which has plenty of turns and frequent uneven bounce, the visitors could be beaten by an innings.
advertise
Bethell’s knock was impressive in both style and character – it was reminiscent of the 22-year-old Stokes making his debut against a furious Mitchell Johnson on a shattered Waqa pitch twelve years ago.
It also raises further questions as to why England delayed so long on his selection. Bethell first impressed in New Zealand at the end of 2024, but England stuck with Ollie Pope until the series defeat.
Head coach Brendan McCullum and director Rob Key look set to have the opportunity to right the wrongs of this tour and rebuild a beaten England side. They would do so, with Bethel holding on for third place belatedly.
That’s for the future. For now, Bethell’s task is to somehow get England to the goal they might defend.
advertise
Sunny Bethel Day
In the fourth Test in Melbourne, Besser had already shown his temperament in this important moment by scoring a valuable 40 runs in England’s successful chase.
Curiously, all of his major contributions in the previous five Tests – including three half-centuries – came in the second innings. His average in the first innings was just nine.
It was a case of extreme pressure, intensity and consequence in the second inning. Bethell arrived in the first over – with England trailing by 179 – after Zak Crawley was not bowled by Mitchell Starc.
What followed was a display of outstanding batting elegance that belied Bethel’s years and experience. He beat the offside boundary with a high front elbow, great timing and a nice straight bat.
advertise
He had to show courage in the 27th to survive a hard blow to the head from Cameron Green. The quality of Besser’s innings was compounded by the struggles of the great Joe Root, who suffered a tormenting 6 off 37 balls after Duckett cut off Neser to end a disappointing tour.
When Stokes came off, Brooke took over as captain and handed the responsibility to his supporting partner Bethell.
The left-hander struck 90 off 23 balls, seven of them on 99, before jumping off the pitch to clip Webster to mid-wicket for four. He became the fifth England batsman to score his first first-class hundred in Tests.
As Bethell took off his helmet to celebrate in the England dressing room, his father Graham and mother Gisele were in the stands embracing, celebrating and wiping away tears of joy.
advertise
webster, stokes pain
Stokes completed just 10 deliveries after taking the ball before limping away clutching his groin as Australia started the day at 518-7. Another injury for the all-rounder was a tragic outcome of his final Test in Australia, ending his hopes of becoming one of the few England captains to win the Ashes here at the end of the tour.
In his absence, England at least have a clean sweep. Josh Tongue got Steve Smith behind and bowled to Starc, and Jacks got Boland in trouble. Webster remained unbeaten in 71 games.
It was Webster’s late intervention that halted England’s momentum just as the visitors were heading towards a promising position.
advertise
The all-rounder bowls either medium pace or off-spin. Australia were yet to select a frontline spinner and when the pitch started turning, they hired Webster.
He finds a trick to trick Brooke, who weighs in on the review. Jack foolishly struggled to score the second goal, squandering his chance to advance and was caught brilliantly by Green at deep mid-wicket. Jamie Smith batted brilliantly to score 26, resisting the bouncer of Marnus Labuschagne who had lured him into a poor knock in the first innings.
Still, Labuschagne broke the stumps to take Stokes to eighth when Smith was sent back by Bethel. Unable to move his feet, he could only give Webster a gentle poke.
Carls’ 16th shot finally eliminated any hint of an early end, sending the series to one day.