JACOB BETHELL emerged from the wreckage of England’s Ashes tour to announce to the world that he is a very special talent.
Bethell’s sublime century on day four of the Fifth Test might not save England from another loss.
But it provides a shaft of light amid all the doom and gloom.
This was not just his maiden Test century, it was his first century in first-class cricket.
Left-hander Bethell played with calmness, authority, skill and style.
His parents were in the crowd at the Sydney Cricket Ground and could barely hold back tears when he launched Beau Webster over mid-on for the four that took him past three figures.
Cameras showed his father Graham and mother Giselle struggling to contain their emotions in the crowd.
By the close, however, England were hurtling towards defeat and a 4-1 series loss.
They were 302-8 and just 119 runs ahead. Bethell was 142 not out. There were the usual nightmarish moments for England.
Ben Stokes went off with a groin injury while bowling his 28th over at the start of the day – and did not limp out to bat until No.8. Painful.
The captain hobbled a single to avoid a pair but then edged an attempted forcing shot to slip and was out for one.
Will Jacks produced a contender for the worst shot of the series with a wild, second-ball slog at Webster’s part-time off-spin and was caught at deep mid-wicket. Madness.
And Jamie Smith was run out following a mix-up with Bethell from the first ball after the drinks break in the final session. Disaster.
Bethell, aged 22, walked to the wicket in the first over of England’s second innings when Zak Crawley was lbw for one to Mitchell Starc.
Just four runs had been removed from England’s first innings deficit of 183 and the pressure could hardly have been more intense. Many reckoned the match would be over before stumps.
But Bethell hardly put a foot wrong, finding the perfect mixture of patience and attack. His tempo was spot-on – something that most of his team-mates have failed to manage all series.
His first pro century came in a one-day international against South Africa in September and now he has ticked off first-class hundred No.1.
Bethell has been learning on the job playing for his country – well, his adopted country because he was born in Barbados and did not arrive in England until he was 13.
The pundits were unanimous. It was a brilliant century and the first of many in Test cricket.
In the morning session, Steve Smith was finally out for 138 and Australia’s innings closed on 567 all out.
Crawley offered no shot to his second ball and was nailed leg before. The Kent batsman completed another poor series with no century, a couple of fifties but no significant contributions.
He has been indulged by England for years.
Ben Duckett helped Bethell put on 81 for the second wicket but then dragged on for 42, his highest score of the series.
The collapse of England’s opening partnership has been a big factor in their misery these past few weeks.
Joe Root, a centurion in the first innings, could not get going at all and was lbw to Scott Boland for six, compiled over 37 deliveries.
While Harry Brook and Bethell were putting on 100 for the fourth wicket, there was real hope that England could post Australia a challenging target.
But Brook was lbw on review to Webster for 42 – another of the sort of mid-range score for Brook that does not influence Test matches.
Two balls later, Jacks self-destructed and then came the morale-sapping dismissals of Smith and Stokes.
Webster, normally a medium-pace bowling all-rounder, had switched to off-spin and taken three wickets.
Brydon Carse gave Smith another catch at slip when he prodded at the probing Boland. But at least Bethell will be able to resume his innings on the final day.
