Jacob Bethell Celebrates First Test Century Against Australia at SCG
Bethell's Milestone at the Sydney Cricket Ground
Sydney, Australia - January 7: Jacob Bethell, the promising all-rounder from England, expressed his excitement after scoring his inaugural Test century against Australia, stating that he always believed it was on the horizon, despite facing some tense moments against the Australian fast bowlers.
Having previously achieved his first professional century in ODI cricket against South Africa last year, Bethell delivered a remarkable performance at the iconic Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) during an Ashes Test, marking both his first-class and Test centuries.
At just 22 years and 76 days old, Bethell becomes the second-youngest player to score an Ashes century for England this century, following the legendary Alastair Cook, who accomplished this feat at 21 years and 357 days in Perth in 2006.
In a post-match press conference, Bethell shared, "It hasn't fully sunk in yet, and I haven't had the chance to reflect on it. It was special to achieve this in front of my family." He recalled narrowly missing a century against New Zealand in 2024 by just four runs but felt confident during his innings against the formidable duo of Mitchell Starc and Scott Boland, asserting, "It was always coming."
Bethell noted that he felt more at ease facing spin bowlers compared to Boland, admitting to feeling a bit anxious around the Australian pacer due to his precise bowling. He reached the three-figure mark by hitting Beau Webster for a boundary over wide long-on.
The left-handed all-rounder acknowledged that Australia attempted to challenge him with deliveries outside the off-stump and bouncers, but he was pleased to navigate through that challenging phase of his innings, finishing the day at 142 not out.
"I was relieved when they brought the spinner on instead of Boland. I felt a bit nervous facing him. Boland consistently bowls in the right areas, making it tough to score, especially with the field up. When the spinner came on, I felt more comfortable taking him on, although I did experience some nerves," he explained.
Bethell recognized that Australia was trying to induce a nervous feeling outside off-stump as he approached his century, but he remained focused and avoided falling into that trap. He also mentioned that Starc's bouncers were clever, but he managed to stay composed.
Looking ahead, Bethell expressed that a lead of 180-190 runs would be advantageous for England on the final day, especially with a new ball approaching.
"If we can reach 180-190, we stand a good chance, and it would be a solid effort tomorrow. They will likely have fielders in place, and the new ball might offer more opportunities. It could do a bit more but also come off the bat better," he stated.
"I need to be strategic about how we allow Pottsy (Matthew Potts) and Tonguey (Josh Tongue) at No. 11 to face the bowling, but I will focus on finding the gaps. The outfield is large, so there are plenty of opportunities to score," he added.
Having missed the first three Tests of the series when the stakes were high, Bethell reflected on his absence as a "blessing," admitting that he wasn't in great form, having scored 3, 70, 44, 19, and 71 (for England Lions), along with 16 for England XI.
"I believe it was a blessing in disguise. I wasn't batting well at the start of the series. After playing some cricket here, including a Lions game against Australia A in Brisbane where I scored 19 and 71, I felt my batting improved significantly over the month and a half before my debut," he concluded.
Following centuries from Travis Head (163), Steve Smith (138), and a solid 71 from Beau Webster, Australia posted a total of 567 in response to England's first innings score of 384. Bethell's impressive 142 not out off 232 balls, featuring 15 boundaries, helped England finish the day at 240/5, establishing a 119-run lead.