On January 7, England batter Jacob Bethell delivered a career-defining knock by registering his first Test century. He achieved the landmark on the fourth day of the final Ashes Test against Australia at the Sydney Cricket Ground.

Bethell’s composed innings, along with important partnerships involving Ben Duckett and Harry Brook, enabled England to significantly cut down a 183-run deficit in their second innings. Earlier, Australia had posted a massive 567 after replying to England’s first-innings score of 384, putting the visitors under early pressure before Bethell’s standout performance shifted the momentum.

Bethell was forced to bat early after England lost Zak Crawley in the very first over, immediately putting the visitors under pressure with a large deficit on the board. An early collapse seemed possible, but Bethell showed composure and found solid support from an aggressive Ben Duckett, helping England move past the 80-run mark.

The momentum stalled briefly when Joe Root departed cheaply, reducing England to 117 for three. Bethell then combined with Harry Brook, and after reaching his hundred in the final session, the pair steadied the innings to keep England in the contest.

Bethell finally broke the three-figure barrier in Test cricket, registering the first century of his career. Remarkably, this knock also represented his maiden hundred in first-class cricket, improving on his previous highest score of 96. Before this innings, he had crossed half-century nine times but had not managed to turn any of those efforts into a century.

Currently, England are 253/5, extending their advantage to a 69-run lead, with Jacob Bethell unbeaten on 118 and Jamie Smith on 20, as the pair continue to build the innings.