Ashes | Bethell's beyond-his-years ton not enough to keep Aussies from closing in on English rout at SCG

Gantavya Adukia

ByGantavya Adukia,SportsCafe Editor

29

Australia ended Day 4 of the fifth Ashes Test at the SCG two wickets away from setting themselves a paltry fourth-innings target after earning a first-innings lead of 183 runs. Jacob Bethell's unbeaten 142 threatened to flip the game around but a late collapse meant the score at Stumps read 302/8.

Jacob Bethell's kept England in the contest on yet another day of Ashes cricket dominated by Australia at the SCG

Resuming from an overnight score of 518/7 with Steve Smith unbeaten on 135 and Beau Webster on 42 in a stand worth a century already, Australia seized momentum early on Day 4 with a couple of quick boundaries. The visitors' misery was compounded when skipper Ben Stokes walked off midway through his second effort of the day holding his groin, in the same over Webster brought up his half-century. Nevertheless, his replacement in the attack Josh Tongue made sure the captain was not missed by delivering an absolute ripper to take Smith's outside edge and send him packing for 138 before pegging back Mitchell Starc's stumps with a nipbacker soon after. Will Jacks completed the job by getting Scott Boland caught at slip for a golden duck six deliveries later to fold up the hosts for 567.

Thus facing a daunting deficit of 183 runs at the midway stage, England got their second innings off to the worst possible start when a Starc inswinger pinned Crawley in front without a shot offered to add yet another first-over wicket to the left-arm quick's bludgeoning record. His opening partner Ben Duckett settled some nerves with a couple of quick boundaries and together with Jacob Bethell took charge of the game. The duo added a quick 80 runs at nearly five an over until Lunch, but not without Duckett being handed a reprieve by a Cameron Green drop and a couple of Starc jaffas to boot.

However, as has been the pattern through the series, the foundation quickly dissolved heading into the new session with Duckett playing on Michael Neser's first ball after the break, bringing Joe Root to the crease. WIth 160 to his name from the first innings, the English talisman looked uncharacteristically uncomfortable during a tortured 37-ball stay for just six runs before Boland ended with his misery by claiming him LBW with an inducker. Regardless, Bethell brought up a half-century at the other end and together with Harry Brook went back to rebuilding the innings and clawing down Australia's remaining lead of 66. The duo flayed 57 of those runs in the last nine overs of the session courtesy some poor bowling from the Aussie all-rounders and part-timers, as England headed into Tea at 174/3.

The partnership between the duo inflated further to 102 post the break, with Bethell bringing up a maiden Test and first-class ton by smashing Webster over long-on much to the ecstacy of his family and the Barmy Army. Yet, just when England seemed to be on the brink of taking the ascendancy in the game, a nasty off-spinner from Webster dispatched Brook for 42, two balls before Will Jacks tried to wildly slog sweep the all-rounder and was duly caught out in the deep to leave the visitors reeling at 219/5. Nevertheless, Bethell joined hands with Jamie Smith to try and bring their effort back on track with a 45-run stand until a calamitous mix-up saw the latter sold down the river for 216. Stokes limped out to the middle and only lasted four balls before meekly edging Webster to slip to practically end English hopes, made worse by Brydon Carse departing for a quick 16 at the stroke of Stumps. Bethell kept fighting alone all the same and saw England through to the end at 302/8, remaining unbeaten at 142 with England's lead 119.

Gone!

Classic!

Hostory!

haha!

8 down!

Disaster!

very dissappointing!

True!

Horrible!

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