Touted as England’s next big thing, young Jacob Bethell in his second Ashes appearance smashed his maiden Test ton. Interestingly, this was Bethell’s maiden century in first-class cricket as well. The century at Sydney Cricket Ground helped him enter a rare list of batters in Ashes history and only second to achieve it for England. The 22-year-old is the seventh batter to score his maiden first-class ton in an Australia-England clash.
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The first to do it was Australia’s Charles Bannerman in 1877, followed by Billy Murdoch (1880), Percy McDonell (1882), Harry Graham (1893), England’s Jack Russell (1989), Australia’s Ian Healy (1993).
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Bethell is also the fourth youngest batter to score an Ashes Test ton for England in post-World War II era. At 22 years and 76 days of age, he went past current skipper Ben Stokes (22 years and 196 days). He is the youngest since 2006 to achieve the feat. In 2006, Alastair Cook (21 years and 357 days) scored a century in Perth.
Bethell reaches century in style
Bethell’s previous highest score in Tests was 96 which came against New Zealand in December 2024. On January 7, 2026, he reached his century in style with a six off Beau Webster who switched from medium pace to off-spin.
Bethell enters Kapil Dev’s list
Bethell also became the fifth batter to score a maiden first-class and List A hundred in international cricket. Others on the list are India's Kapil Dev, West Indies' Marlon Samuels, Bangladesh's Mehidy Hasan Miraz and Ireland's Curtis Campher.
Another rare list for Bethell
Bethell is the fifth Englishman to score a maiden first-class hundred in a Test. The first to do it was Henry Wood in 1892 against South Africa, followed by Jack Russell (1989), Stuart Broad (2010), and, Gus Atkinson (2024).
Bethell helps England take lead
Bethell had to walk in to bat early in the innings as Mitchell Starc got rid of Zak Crawley in the first over. He shared an 81-run partnership with Ben Duckett. The partnership for the fourth wicket between him and Harry Brook helped England take a lead. They shared an 112-run stand which was broken by Webster.