Fifth Test; day four: England 302-8 & 384; Australia 567
Tourists lead by 119 after late wickets let hosts back in
It was good. So good. So unbelievably good. On the penultimate day of an Ashes tour packed with regrets for England, a star was born when Jacob Bethell, 22 years young, raised his bat to all corners of the Sydney Cricket Ground in celebration of a hundred that offered hope for the future.
There was no reason why England should collapse to defeat on this sun-soaked fourth day but every reason to think they might anyway. Ground down by Australia over two months, starting their second innings 183 runs behind and with Ben Stokes injured first thing, they certainly looked ripe for it.
And yet by the close, even with some more galling dismissals and a 4-1 series victory likely loading for Australia, England had reached 302 for eight and a lead of 119 runs. The tourists were just about still breathing and all thanks to a gum-chewing rookie with zinc cream smeared across his cheeks.
