Bethell’s elegant presses from the first Test century pause at Australia’s Ashes celebration

It was good. So good. So incredibly good. On the penultimate day of a regret-filled tour for England, a star was born when Jacob Bethell, 22 years young, put together a truly golden hundred that offered hope for the future.

There were no histrionics when I got there either, no suggestion that this was a maiden first-class century put together in the heat of an Ashes Test. Instead, after pouncing at Beau Webster’s off-spin to win a four, he responded like an old pro – albeit with parents swarming in the stands.

There was also no reason why England should succumb to defeat on this sun-drenched fourth day. But there was every reason to think they could. They had been worn down by Australia over the course of two months, started their second innings 183 behind and with the departure lounge calling, they certainly looked ready for it. And not least because Ben Stokes was injured again.

But by the end, even with a few more brain-bending dismissals along the way to leave a 4-1 series win for Australia, England had reached 302 for eight with a lead of 119 runs. So he’s still breathing, all thanks to a gum-chewing rookie with zinc cream on his cheeks and ice in his veins.

It wasn’t just the numbers next to Bethell’s name as he walked away unbeaten on 142 off 232 balls, but rather the manner in which he achieved them over five hours at the crease. This was pure spun silk, the epitome of elegance, its fifteen fours consisting of backfoot thrusts, drives and pull shots. All were struck with the precision of a Swiss clock and interspersed with zealous defense.

There was also courage under fire: Bethell took a nasty blow to the head from Cameron Green and fell down like Woody in Toy Story as the people entered. But Bethell won the battle with five fours, all of which ran from the middle. And he coolly navigated 24 balls into the nervous nineties, with the four overthrows coming his way on 87 being all he got all day.

No specialist English batsman had previously scored his first first-class century in a Test match, only a handful of wicketkeepers and bowlers had. And yet it remains a mystery why England parked Bethell for much of 2025 when they were all spinning their wheels upon their arrival in New Zealand last winter. For a team that claims to embrace risk, their loyalty to Ollie Pope was conservative.

Yet Bethell has now arrived in Test cricket and if nothing else on this dismal tour, England have found a No. 3 with the requisite temperament. It was certainly necessary on the first drop here, Bethell running into the middle after Zak Crawley’s run ended as it began: dismissed during Mitchell Starc’s final thunderous scoop, albeit this time with lbw arms.

Bethell set off and fended off much of what came his way, untroubled by the loss of Ben Duckett for 42 – the highest score of the opener on tour – and Joe Root for a slightly tortured six from 37 balls. Scott Boland again showed England’s quicks here, figures of two for 34 from 19 overs that put all participants in a bind by hitting that handkerchief length time and time again.

Although it was a newcomer on a headline day, it was a journeyman who kept things moving for Australia. Fresh from an unbeaten 71 that put the finishing touches to his side’s 567, the giant Webster traded his seams for off-breaks and winked out three important wickets after tea.

After leading in the morning after Stokes limped off with a groin injury, Harry Brook was half of a 102-run stand, with thoughts of his frustrating tour ending on a high note also filtering through. But at 42 he played back to one that turned sharply, as evidenced by the review. When Will Jacks holed in an attempt to launch a six-second ball, England were effectively 32 for five.

In came Jamie Smith, who initially atoned for his first-innings self-immolation with 26 runs at 52. But when Marnus Labuschagne’s bumper plan was finally issued, he was red-faced again and walked out after a mix-up in communications with Bethell, but at least he spared the setman.

Out limped Stokes, this his fifth Test series in a row ending with injury and his final contribution, a faint lead to slide off Webster’s fifth ball, underscoring his struggle to move. He is unlikely to bowl on the final day, but all he could do was return to the pavilion, watch Boland dismiss Brydon Carse for a handy 16 and delve into his team’s predicament in general.

Stokes may have seen a piece of himself in Bethell as he did so; shades of his own rise during the 2013-2014 whitewash and that statement century in Perth. On another Ashes tour that ended with very little to write home about, this was a real reason to smile.