76th over: England 307-8 (Bethell 142, Potts 5) Webster begins with his offies … and greets Potts with a long hop: it’s cut away nicely for four. The all-rounder eventually finds turn and bounce before closing with another drag-down. Potts cuts … and takes the single.
Usman Khawaja leads Australia on to the field. After 15 years at the top, he finishes up as a Test cricketer today. A wonderful, trailblazing career and, full transparency, one of my childhood heroes.
Is there a way to wipe the second half of this piece from the interweb?
“Good morning/evening/night Taha,” writes Tony McKnight.
“Mid afternoon and a low winter sun here in Idaho. Is innate English conservatism Bazball’s tragic flaw? If it’s broke, don’t fix it. So no Bethell til it’s too late, no Josh Tongue til it’s too late, don’t change the batting order, Stokes doesn’t open the bowling for 4 overs, but he’ll wreck his body with 8, 9, 10 over spells when the innings has already gotten away? Meanwhile look at shiny new #3. In that regard, surely a 4-1 defeat is better than a miracle come-back today and more paper over the cracks?”
The Tongue situation is particularly odd. Was a real surprise that he didn’t play until the third Test, having ended the summer with so much energy behind him: he was England’s leading wicket-taker against India despite missing two Tests and bowled Notts to the County Championship title, too.
The real stars of this Test? Jacob Bethell’s parents. Loved seeing their reaction in the crowd to their son’s hundred.
Beau Webster continues to impress, those numbers particularly appealing at present: he’s averaging 41 with the bat and 23 with the ball in Test cricket. England are lucky they’ve only had to face him in one game. Here’s Geoff Lemon on Australia’s all-rounder debate.
Yeah, but can he do it in the County Championship? Anyway, here’s Barney Ronay on that Bethell knock.
Et in dystopia ego. In the midst of death, we are in life. On a throbbingly hot deep blue afternoon in Sydney, as this ghost ship of an England Ashes tour creaked towards its final dock, the fourth day of the fifth Test produced an unexpected late plot twist. Something good happened.
Yes, I’ve checked the weather forecast. No, it’s not gonna rain. Jacob Bethell’s arrival was a lovely moment on day four, particularly with his parents watching from the stands. But this is heading towards another England defeat, 4-1 the likely final scoreline of another uncompetitive Ashes tour in Australia. At least we’re going to get a fifth day for just the second time this series. Can Bethell and Matt Potts – who has as many first-class hundreds as his colleague (ha) – stretch England’s lead to 200 and get a proper game going? Even then, you just know Travis Head will light up against an attack without any serious new-ball threat and, crucially, Ben Stokes.
Whatever happens, it’s the last day of school; let’s have some fun. Why not send me your predicted XIs for the first Test of the 2029-30 Ashes? Or tell me your favourite moments of this series (even if you’re an England fan, it hasn’t been all bad).