England’s 22-year-old batter Jacob Bethell made a significant mark in cricket history by scoring a century in the final Test of the ongoing Ashes series at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Wednesday. With this achievement, he became only the second youngest player to reach this milestone in the storied rivalry.
Change in the Batting Order
Bethell stepped into the No. 3 position, taking over from seasoned batter Ollie Pope, who has struggled for runs during the tour. When Bethell arrived at the crease in England’s second innings, the team had already lost opener Zak Crawley on the fifth ball and was trailing Australia by 179 runs.
Key Partnerships
Initially, Bethell formed an 81-run partnership with Ben Duckett, who was out in the 20th over after scoring 39 runs. After Joe Root’s quick dismissal, Bethell solidified the innings by putting together a 100-run partnership with vice-captain Harry Brook.
Century Milestone
Bethell reached his maiden Test century off 162 balls, sealing the landmark with a slog over wide long-on. At 22 years and 78 days, he became the second-youngest batter to score an Ashes hundred in the 21st century, following former England captain Alastair Cook, who achieved the feat in 2006 at 21 years old.
This century also marked Bethell as the first England No. 3 to score an Ashes hundred in 14 years, since Jonathan Trott. Since 2001, only former captain Michael Vaughan and Mark Butcher have recorded centuries batting at the No. 3 position in the Ashes series.
Bethell’s Career Stats
As of now, Bethell has played five Tests, amassing 312 runs at an average of 34.66 across 10 innings. He has also accumulated 1,172 runs in first-class cricket.
Injury Concerns for England
England faced another hurdle during the first session of Day 4, as captain and all-rounder Ben Stokes left the field early with a right adductor complaint. Stokes bowled just 10 deliveries at the start of Wednesday’s play before pulling up in his follow-through, clutching his right groin. He exited during the 28th over of Australia’s second innings, and the England team later confirmed he was dealing with an adductor issue.
Although Stokes returned to bat in the second innings, he managed only one run off five deliveries before being dismissed. It remains uncertain if he will bowl again in the match as the hosts chase the final target.