fourth day of Panchami the ashes 2025-26 test Surprising change of pace seen at Sydney Cricket Ground England’young feeling Jacob Bethel rises to the occasion with career-defining performanceFacing a disappointing first innings defeat and the threat of a series wipeout, England relied heavily on the resilience of their top order to navigate a dangerous course against a consistent Australian bowling attack, While the visitors were moving towards a position of dominance, the introduction of beau webster Turned the match upside down, as his clinical triple strike reminded everyone of Australia’s ability to strike from anywhere.
Jacob Bethel’s first century as England’s future
Bethel etched his name in Ashes folklore with a brilliant first Test century that single-handedly kept England’s hopes alive at the SCG. Coming into the fray at number three after Mitchell Starc rejected jack crawley In the very first over, the 22-year-old left-hander faced a huge first innings deficit of 183 runs with the patience of a seasoned player. He endured a brutal opening spell and controlled his natural aggression to make a crucial recovery, firstly ben duckett and later during more fluid partnerships harry brook,
Bethel’s innings was a masterclass in concentration; he focused on blunting Scott BolandHis relentless accuracy when pouncing on any wide object Michael NesserHe completed his half-century in 87 balls and did not let the pressure of defeat build, Joe Root Cheaply disrupted his rhythm. By the time he reached his century in the final session, his first in red-ball cricket, emotional scenes in the stands reflected the importance of that moment for English cricket. He became one of the youngest England centurions on Australian soil, joining an elite list ben stokes And alistair cook,
His footwork was particularly impressive against Webster’s spin, using his reach to negate the bounce and turn. Even with the fall of wickets at the other end during the chaotic evening session, Bethel remained the immovable object, ending the day unbeaten on 142. Their resilience ensured that England not only erased the huge lead, but also came into position to set a challenging target for the hosts. It was a career-defining innings that silenced the critics and cemented his place at the top of the order. Without his defiance, the fifth Test would probably have ended before sunset on the fourth day, but instead, he has given his team a fighting chance to end the tour with a win.
Beau Webster’s triple strike leaves Australia in shock
Just as England looked set to dominate the day, Webster took a brilliant three-wicket haul which pulled Australia back into the contest. Using his immense height to get awkward bounce off the SCG surface, the all-rounder netted and broke a century partnership harry brook LBW on 42 runs. He did not stop here, removing will jacks For a duck in the same over after being caught by the batsman at cover. His most important moment came when he took a slight lead off a ball from the struggling Stokes, who was quickly caught steve smith In slips. These three wickets in quick succession led to England’s familiar collapse and halted the momentum that Bethel had worked so hard to build. Webster’s impact was the decisive blow that ensured Australia ended the day with their noses slightly ahead.
England ended the day at 302/8, leading by 119 runs with two wickets remaining and Bahadur Bethell still at the crease. While Bethel’s heroics provided the backbone of the innings, Webster’s triple strike ensured the match remained on a knife’s edge until the final day. Australia will be confident of wrapping up the match early on Day 5, but will now have to chase the target on a poor pitch, which showed signs of unpredictable turn and bounce.
Here’s how fans reacted:
Great Test batsmen like Root had to struggle for years to score a single century in Australia, but Jacob Bethel got only one series.
Star boy with a reason ❤️ pic.twitter.com/nD0ZAp7bPE
– Kevin (@imkevin149) 7 January 2026
A star is born here at the SCG.. Jacob Bethell’s pace/technique and class is the blue print for future England Test batsmen today. #ash
– Michael Vaughan (@MichaelVaughan) 7 January 2026
Not a bad day for England tbf! Scrap tomorrow for another 50/60…
– Kevin Pietersen🦏 (@KP24) 7 January 2026
Bettel. Fabulous. delighted. nuff said!
– David Gower (@david215gower) 7 January 2026
With the flick of the wrists and the rise of the bat a star is born.
Sydney’s coolest man, 22-year-old Jacob Bethel, with a brilliant century.#bbcricket #ash pic.twitter.com/hXyDkIUf3M
– Henry Moeran (@henrymoeranBBC) 7 January 2026
England not picking Bethel from the start is ridiculous at this point
– Poly (@PolyPorridge) 7 January 2026
The narrative about Beau Webster in Test cricket needs to move from “he has done nothing wrong so far” to “he has done everything right so far”. #ash
– Bharat Sundaresan (@beastieboy07) 6 January 2026
Beau Webster currently averages 41 with the bat and 22 with the ball in Tests.#ash
– Nick Savage (@nic_savage1) 7 January 2026
I said this when he made his Test debut, that this Webster’s batting is more technically correct than most of our Test cricketers…
– Phil Gold (@philgold15) 6 January 2026
England ahead by 119 runs at the end of fourth day’s play in SCG Test
– Jacob Bethel is still at the crease on 142* 🏏#Ashes2025 #jacobbettel #scg #crickettwitter pic.twitter.com/PzCy6ilnys
– CricketTimes.com (@CricketTimesHQ) 7 January 2026
See also: Cameron Green demolishes Jacob Bethel with a vicious bouncer on day four of the SCG Test
