The Ashes: Jacob Bethell’s sparkling century offers silver lining for England in Sydney

Bethelll's century may not be enough to usher his side to victory, a deserved 4-1 loss rather than a tighter 3-2 scoreline surely beckons with England just 119 ahead on 302 for eight

England’s Jacob Bethell celebrates reaching his century on day four of the fifth Ashes Series 2025 test at the Sydney Cricket Ground. Pic: Robbie Stephenson/PA Wire.

Jacob Bethell’s coming-of-age century offered hope for the future as England’s Ashes present tipped towards another defeat in Sydney.

Bethell – 22 years old and playing just his sixth Test match – made a mockery of the awkward fact that he had never before scored a first-class hundred with a gem of an innings that relieved the end-of-tour gloom on day four at the SCG.