Sydney [Australia], January 7 : Former England cricketer hailed the 22-year-old Jacob Bethell after the Three Lions stars hammered his maiden First Class century on Day 4 of the ongoing fifth Ashes Test against Australia at the Sydney Cricket Ground in Sydney on Wednesday.
Bethell played a fantastic unbeaten knock of 141 runs off 232 deliveries, including 15 fours, which helped England to take a crucial 119-run lead in their second innings in response to Australia's first innings score of 567.
"Bethell. Brilliant. Delighted. Nuff said!" Gower wrote on X.
Former England captain Michael Vaughan shared a post on his X handle, hailing Bethell's technique. Vaughan added that Bethell's fantastic knock should be the blueprint for the Three Lions batters in future Test matches.
"A star has been born here at the SCG .. The tempo / Technique and class of Jacob Bethell today is the blueprint for England's future Test batters," Vaughan wrote on X.
After scoring his maiden First-Class Hundred, the 22-year-old Bethell became the ninth England batter to score a century against Australia, aged 22 or younger, according to ESPNcricinfo.
He joined the elite list, including Johnny Briggs, Jack Hearne, Iftikhar Ali Khan Pataudi, Colin Cowdrey, David Gower, Mike Atherton, Alastair Cook, and Ben Stokes.
Additionally, the stylish left-handed batter became the sixth English player to score their maiden First-Class century in a Test match. Before Bethell, the elite milestone was achieved by Henry Wood against South Africa in 1898, Billy Griffith vs West Indies in 1948, Jack Russell vs Australia in 1989, Stuart Broad vs Pakistan in 2010, Gus Atkinson vs Sri Lanka in 2024.
Meanwhile, England added 123 runs in the final session of the day but lost five wickets with 22-year-old Bethell playing the lone hand in England's scoring as they ended Day 4 at 302/8 in 75 overs with a lead of 119 runs.
Earlier in the match, Australia were bundled out for 567 runs in their first innings, leading by 183 runs. Captain Steve Smith made 138 off 220 balls, including 16 fours and one six. Beau Webster scored 71 off 87 deliveries, with the help of seven boundaries. Travis Head top-scored with 163 runs off 166 balls, along with 24 fours and one six.
England, on the other hand, made 384 runs in 97.3 overs after opting to bat first. Openers Zak Crawley (16 off 29 balls, with the help of three fours) and Ben Duckett (27 off 24 balls, with the help of five boundaries) stitched a 35-run stand for the first wicket. Jacob Bethell departed after scoring 10 runs off 23 deliveries, including two fours.
Harry Brook (84 off 97 balls, including six fours and one six) and Joe Root's fantastic 160 off 242 deliveries, with the help of 15 fours, stitched a 169-run stand for the fourth wicket.
Root then stitched a 94-run partnership with wicketkeeper-batter Jamie Smith, who scored 46 off 76 balls along with seven boundaries as England went past the 350-run mark in the first innings. For Australia, speedsters Mitchell Starc (2/93), Michael Neser (4/60), and Scott Boland (2/85) were among the wicket takers.
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